The Colony
by Blueroan
Summary: 2120 AD, Volterra Italy: In the modern high tech world, hunting is no longer a feasible way for vampiers to feed, so they resort to other means.The last of the great preditors turn to their human past and become farmers--of a sort. M for dark stuff.
1. Chapter 1

**Note,** I do not own Twilight or its characters!!

_Ok, so this is a little darker fic than your accoustom to from me. I don't know whether I end up running with it or not, but if I do it won't be until I finsh some of the others. See what you think and let me know._

* * *

**The Colony**

Summery:

2120 AD, Volterra Italy: Hunting is no longer a feasible way for the Volturi, or the rest of the Vampire world to obtain their nourishment. So they have resorted to other means. The last of the great predatory species have followed in the footsteps of their human past, leaving the hunter/gatherer lifestyle behind to become . . . farmers, of a sort.

* * *

**Aro**

I made my way down the long colonnade that led from the throne room to the induction area. I always liked to be present when the new stock was brought in. Most of the time there were several, at least a half dozen or so, brought from every corner of the globe and hand selected by Heidi for their insanely mouth watering aromas. Today there was only one, a young female collected from the United States. According to Heidi she was extremely special, a rare delicacy, and I couldn't wait to meet her.

I slid my pass key and waited the half second for the security system to unlock and open the door. The level of security we now maintained at the palace had little to do with keeping us safe, the Guard had been doing that job rather effectively for centuries. Rather it was meant to keep The Colony safe . . . from itself as well as from outsiders.

I entered the induction room and found Jane, Felix and Heidi waiting expectantly for me. I acknowledged them with a slight nod before turning my head to locate the source of the pungently delicious fragrance the filled the room. I instantly found her, strapped to a gurney and awaiting the procedure. She was a lithe little thing, barely in her early twenties with long dark hair and eyes that matched. Her heart was racing so fast I feared she would die of a heart attack before I'd had a chance to even sample her.

"How long ago did the sedative wear off?" I asked as I stared into the girls fright filled eyes. I wanted her to get a good look at me, to grow accustomed as quickly as possible, to seeing our pale skin and crimson eyes. Our physical appearance was quite shocking to humans, causing nightmares in some individuals that lasted for at least the first month or so.

"Thirty minutes, the drug should be clear from her system by now." Heidi answered in a rather matter of fact tone. "We can begin her initial collection if you like."

I smiled; Heidi was always so impatient and impersonal, with the new arrivals. I preferred a more casual friendly approach, after all, barring any regrettable problems; these poor creatures were going to be with us for a while.

"What is her name?" I inquired over my shoulder.

"Lillian." I was surprised when the girl herself and not Heidi answered me. What a rare treat indeed, in spite of her fear she showed courage.

"Lillian," I sighed happily as I gave her my most reassuring smile. "What a lovely name." I paused and then added, "I'm Aro by the way . . . I'm your host."

"Can we get on with this," Heidi grumbled. "I have a plane to Budapest to catch in less than two hours."

"Patience," I snapped. "You'll catch your infernal plane." I hated to rush inductions; it was a delicate process that required charm and finesse. The initial sampling of a new colony member was critical in determining the quality of the blood the individual would supply.

"What do you want with me?" Lillian demanded in a tight voice dripping with fear.

I turned back to her and smiled. "Shhh, there is nothing to be afraid of," I soothed as I reached to stroke her hair. Her entire life's story flooded my mind in a series of fast moving images the instant I made contact. It was the other reason I enjoyed being at inductions, I received new stories for my private collection.

After the initial jolt of her memory flood wore off I continued. "Gone are the days when we harmed our prey, when we killed in order to feed. You will not be harmed my pet . . . no, no, quite the opposite. You will be cared for and looked after. In exchange, twice a month you will supply us with a small sampling of your essence."

With a nod from me, Heidi brought forward her equipment tray and began the collection process. It was rather straight forward, the same one used by hospitals and the Red Cross to collect donated blood all around the world. No need to go reinventing the wheel.

I watch with great interest as Heidi tied the tourniquet and prepared to insert the needle under Lillian's supple skin. Suddenly the girl flinched as the sharp steel pierced her and Heidi drew back instantly. A single drop of Lillian's vermillion essence beaded on the surface of her skin. I was enthralled, the concentration of her aroma in the room increased tenfold and I found myself struggling for control.

"Be still," Heidi hissed before going back to holding her breath. She was about wipe away the droplet with a cotton ball.

"Wait," I insisted.

I couldn't help myself. Very delicately I whipped up the beautiful red bead with my fingertip and brought the liquid jewel to my mouth. The instant the crimson honeydew hit my tongue I was inflamed. My throat tightened with an intensity of thirst I had never known before. In spite of having just feed before coming down here, it took every ounce of control that over three thousand years in this life had given me. It was all I could do, not to fall upon the girl and drain her instantly.

After several minuets I had my composure again. "Proceed," I instructed Heidi. "When you're finished, put the sample in my office. All future collections from her are to go straight into my private reserve. She is mine and mine only, is that understood."

"Marcus and Caius will be pissed," Jane sneered. "You know how they love dickering of the very sweet ones."

I turned to Jane and glared. "Let them be pissed, I don't care. House her in the wing with the rest of my personal stable. Her essence is for my consumption only." I turned to make my way back to the door. "See that she is duly marked."

I paused after making only two strides, Lillian's heart was racing again. I needed to sooth her so that her adrenalin wouldn't make her blood taste too bitter. "All is well my pet, please calm down. I know you are distressed as this must seem very strange to you, but as soon as Heidi has finished with you and settled you in, I'll come by for a little visit and explain thing." I finished with my most charming smile and listened with satisfaction as her heart rate slowed.

"Much better," I soothed.

Humans were a delicate species that required a firm but gentle hand, a fact I'd learned the hard way. In the first few years after I established The Colony, most of the inductees died within the two or three months. Things were better now, the average life span increased with each passing year . . . at the moment it was around ten years in the general colony population, a little higher among our private stock.

I turned to Felix and fixed him intently with my gaze, "Take great care with her and do not harm her unnecessarily." Felix would be responsible for putting my mark on her; sometimes he got a little carried away with his work. Carlisle usually reined him in and kept him from doing too much harm.

Carlisle and his mate Esme were the only _vegans_ among us. He served me only because he saw it as an opportunity to lessen our impact on the colony's human stock . . . to improve their existence so to speak. And of course there was the fact that I threatened to eradicate his beloved family if he refused. I had never met a vampire with a softer heart or one who loved humans more than Carlisle Cullen.

I looked one last time at Lillian and smiled, "I look forward to chatting with you later, my pet. In the mean time, I leave you in very capable hands." With that, I turned and left.

*

**Lillian**

After the one called Heidi finished taking a pint of blood from my arm, a tall blond haired man dressed in a doctor's white coat entered the room where I was being held. He smiled at me, but I could read the sadness in his golden eyes. His mixed expression made me nervous.

"I'll take this to Aro's office," Heidi sighed, holding up the bag containing my blood. "I'm sure you and Felix can manage from here. I'll be back to get her when you're done."

No one said anything as she left.

Finally the tall blond spoke, his voice sounded like wind chimes as he did. "My name is Carlisle," he introduced himself in a quiet tone. I saw a rag in his hand and he was slowly lowering towards my face. My heart began to thunder in my chest and I was breathing hard. "It's all right child," he soothed, "I'm doing you a kindness, just relax." The pungent smell of chemical filled my nose as the rag covered the lower half of my face. Blackness took me almost immediately.

When I woke up again the top of my left arm felt like it was on fire, and I groaned. Beside me the one call Carlisle stood spewing angry words at the one called Felix. I could see Felix; he looked all too pleased with himself as he held what appeared to be a metal rod in his hand.

"You fool," Carlisle hissed. "What the bloody hell were you doing? Look at that mark, there was absolutely no reason to leave the iron on her that long. She's not a horse or a cow, human skin is delicate . . . fragile really . . ."

I moaned in pain again and Carlisle turned his sad golden eyes towards me briefly before dismissing Felix. "Get out . . . get out before I decide I don't care whether I exist anymore and I destroy you for your incompetence!"

When Felix was gone I heard Carlisle sigh loudly before he spoke. "I'm sorry about that." He crossed the room and came back so fast it was a blur. He dipped his finger into a container of ointment and began gingerly applying it to my upper arm. "It's an antibiotic ointment with a bit of Lidocaine mixed in it to help with the pain." He told me gently. "What's your name?"

"Lillian."

"A pleasure to meet you my dear," he said in a single whispered breath, "though I truly regret having to meet you in this hellish place."

"Where am I?" I asked shyly.

"The Colony," he sighed. "Aro's little experiment in agriculture . . . he keeps humans here and milks them for blood the way you humans keep dairy cows. Its disgusting really, but still I suppose it's an improvement over the way things were before."

I felt suddenly sick and panicked. Unconsciously I began tugging at my restraints.

"Easy now, child" Carlisle soothed as his icy fingers brushed my cheek lightly. The sad smile was back as he apologized, "I'm sorry; I've gone and frightened you. I didn't mean to frighten you; I try to be the one bright spot, the one friendly unthreatening individual in every human's life in this place. I try to help you all as much as I can . . . as much as I'm permitted to."

"You poor man, you seem so sad. It almost hurt to look into your eyes because your sadness has seeped into your very soul." the word escaped unchecked from my mouth. I was in mortal danger, but I couldn't help but be moved by Carlisle's melancholy. "Your grief could make the angels cry."

He closed his eye against the pain I knew was in his heart. "Dear God," he whispered. "You feel compassion for me. Trust me child, I'm totally undeserving of your . . . grace."

We were silent for a time as he bandaged the freshly made freeze brand on my left arm. It was Aro's private mark he explained before he started. When the bandages were secure he looked at me thoughtfully.

"I need to do a complete medical exam on you, its standard for every new arrival." His hand went to the thick leather cuffs on my wrists. "I'd like you to sit up for this, but that would mean undoing your bonds. You must promise me that you will behave . . . while I wouldn't hurt you, Jane is likely outside the door and she has no such qualms about inflicting pain."

I nodded. Carlisle was the first person I felt I could actually trust since my abduction. I wanted to be good for him.

"Good girl." He mumbled as he undid my shackles and helped me to sit up. He asked ever medical question know to man, and looked me over from head to toe. He wrote none of it down however and when I asked him about it he smiled his sad smile again and replied. "Vampires have perfect memories; I haven't forgotten a signal moment of my existence since I woke to this life. A thousand years from now, I'll still remember, in vivid detail, everything about you."

"That must be difficult." I replied before I could check myself.

"You have no idea," he mused. "When did you last have a tetanus shot?"

I tried to count, but couldn't remember. I hadn't really seen a doctor since before I ran away from home at sixteen. I looked up at him blankly and then I gave him my best 'I'm sorry' smile.

"If you can't remember, then your likely due one," He said with a shake of his head. He went to the glass and steel cabinet on the opposite wall and retrieved a vile and a syringe. I watched as he drew up the measured dose and then caped the needle before approaching me.

"So how long have you been here?" I asked trying to make small talk to distract myself from the shot I was about to get.

"Five years," he answered. I felt only the slightest pinch of the needle; he was a million time gentler than Heidi.

"You've only been a vampire for five years."

"No," he sighed. "I'm just over four hundred years old, I've been at the Colony for five years. Tell me something, did you know what we were before I confessed it to you or did I spill the beans?"

"I kind of figured it out . . . you know, red eyes, the whole blood thing. I have to admit though; I was a little bit surprised to see the Goon Squad out in the middle of the day." I paused and swallowed hard. "I thought you couldn't come out in daylight."

He chuckled then and it was the first happy sound I'd heard out of him. "We can come out any time we like, day or night. Sunlight has an interesting effect on us, but Hollywood has it all wrong." Then he dropped his voice into a low tone, "A friendly word of caution to you, my child; be mindful of what you say. Vampires have very acute hearing . . . I could hear you whispering my name from three miles away. Aro and his lot are sensitive and easily angered. I wouldn't go around calling the Volturi Guard the Goon Squad if I were you; it's a good way to shorten your life."

Just then the door swung open and Heidi waltzed in, "All finished?" it was less of a question and more of a demand.

"Yes, I just finished, she required getting a tetanus shot as she hadn't had one in over ten years." He supplied in a dull monotone.

"Fine," Heidi grumped impatiently. "Come along girl, Aro is anxious to get you settled in your room so that he can give his little speech. Honestly, I think he's just afraid Marcus and Caius will pick up you scent and want to know why they didn't get a taste." The she glared at Carlisle for a split second, "By the way doctor, don't you have other patients to see?"

With that Heidi tugged me through the doors and off through a maze of hallways.


	2. Chapter 2

I do not own or have rights to Twilight or its characters!!!

_So, I'm now an officially registured student at Clayton State with a Student ID, a parking pass, and a loan debt. Classes start on Jan 11 and I'm taking two courses, Trig and Survey of American History. The Trig class has me most worried, I haven't had a math class in 13yrs and that was an epic failure,(over 20yrs if you go all the way back to Collage Algerbra) and math is not my friend. Well, we'll see, my sons and my best frind seem more pumped than me . . . I'm just nervous._

_Thanks for letting me vent, you guys are totally awsome!!_

* * *

**Aro**

I retired to my private office after having to deal with some unfortunate business in the throne room. I was more than pleased to find the freshly harvested pint of Lillian's essence waiting for me. I closed my eyes and smiled as I remembered with crystal clarity the reaction I had to a single drop of her vermillion honeydew. In four thousand years I had never tasted anything as thoroughly intoxicating as this girl's blood. It was as unnatural as it was divine . . . a glorious mixture of agony and ecstasy that would drive a lesser being than me into a fit of gluttonous murder.

Today, however, even I was having trouble; the memory of her flavor was so strong that I wanted nothing better than to rip the collection bag open and suck the contents down. I took several deep breaths to steady myself; I was determined to indulge in this first sampling the correct way. I would savor this first tasting of her and in doing so; rejoice in my good fortune at having her all to myself.

I dimmed the lights in my office and lit several candles before turning on the stereo; the soothing strains of Vivaldi filled my office. This was all in an effort to set the proper mood. From my curio cabinet I selected a goblet out of my collection, a jewel encrusted silver one of sixteenth century German origin. I had never used this particular vessel before and I determined that, from now on, it would be exclusively for her blood.

The leather of my favorite desk chair creaked as my weight settled into it. I set the goblet, _Lillian's goblet_, on the desk before me and found myself grinning like an idiot as I gazed upon it. From my desk drawer I retrieved a small bronze dagger; it had been mine since I was a youth. The four millennium old blade was just as sharp as the day it was forged. With the very tip of it I pierced the smallest hole in the bag. Suddenly the room was filled with her enchanting aroma as it exploded from the bag like a genie from a bottle to overcome every particle of air around me.

It was the headiest of perfumes and I moaned as the fragrance accosted my senses. Suddenly I was holding my breath and struggling for control. If her mere scent had this strong of an effect on me, what would the first sip of her be like. The memory of that delicious red jewel on my fingertip came to mind once more and I shuddered. It would be like gunpowder and flame, like thunder and lightning, like fire and ice, a cataclysmic force of nature that would test the limits of my control and shake me to the very core of my being. I smiled at the thought; I could wait for the consummation of the moment no longer.

While still holding my breath I slit opened the collection bag and slowly poured its contents into the silver goblet. I licked my lips as the last drop of her essence slid from the bag to drip with irritating slowness into the cup. With one reverent hand I picked up the vessel and brought it to me; while doing so I allowed myself a short shallow breath. I moaned again as her thick perfume wafted up my nose and burned its way like a flaming cat o'nine tails past my tighten throat.

Holding the goblet in my left hand I dipped one finger of my right hand into the still warm vermillion liquid. I brought it to my lips as I took another tentative breath, the effect was the closest thing to a religious experience that I'd had in over four thousand years. I remembered reading the accounts of St Theresa of Avila, of her encounters with the Angel of God and the fire tipped spear of His divine presence. Her graphic transcriptions of the events and my current experience seemed intensely similar. I now had a profound understanding of why, years later, the great Bernini sculpted the saint in such a provocative pose.

I licked my finger clean before bringing the rim of the goblet to my lips; the scent was almost overwhelming as the cup brushed my mouth. With caution I allowed the first drizzle of her essence to wash past my teeth and settle on the back of my tongue. My body literally trembled, I felt the arm of my chair crumble into splinters under the force of my grasp, and my mind went momentarily blank. Still I held her essence in my mouth savoring it as if this first taste were the very last of her . . . she was so delectable that it was almost a travesty to swallow. But swallow I did, and was pleasantly surprised by the fiery rush that spared through me as I did so.

My first mouth full of Lillian's glorious essence left me panting like a human who had just run a marathon and it left me desperately wanting more. I made myself wait several minutes before bringing the goblet to my lips again and taking another sip. To force myself to indulge slowly in this most exquisite treat was shear torture, but the reward of her flavor exploding in my mouth with each measured sip was well worth the agony. Lillian was a singularity, an anomaly of nature . . . indeed of the cosmos and she was mine, only mine.

When I drained the last dregs from the goblet, I frowned in disappointment. Still, I thought as I rose and went to my small office sink to rinse out Lillian's goblet, in two weeks I could savor he essence yet again. This was one of the many fringe benefits associated with the Colony; the truly delectable ones could be enjoyed again and again. I was already looking forward to it.

There was a knock at my door; by the sound of it I already knew who was begging admittance. I smiled as, in my mind's eye; I could already see the fuming rage on his face. I poured a small measure of rubbing alcohol into the cup, swirled it several times and then dumped it down the sink, I was in no particular hurry to answer.

"Enter," I finally called softly as I dried the cup out with a soft cloth.

The door swung open and Caius rolled into my office with the ferocity of a thunderstorm. "How dare you!" He bellowed in his usual overly theatrical way before taking a deliberate deep breath. "Your office still reeks of her blood you bastard; you're always doing this . . . skimming off the top, saving the very best for yourself. I'm sick of it Aro."

"Indeed," Marcus mumbled as he ghosted in on Caius' whirlwind coat tail. "Why were we not told about this one." He sniffed the air twice; it sounded more like a human with a bad cold than a vampire scenting prey. When her aroma seized him I heard him moan and watched his eyes roll back in his head. "Dear god," he whispered breathlessly, "Its enrapturing, Aro, how do you stand not having all of her?"

"That is precisely why, my dear Marcus," I began casually as I returned the goblet to its place in my curio, "I did not think it prudent to share her first sampling with the two of you."

"Is that so," Caius sneered. "Well then, I thank you for your concern." He paused briefly before he continued, "I want her. Just as soon as Carlisle is finished with her initial medical exam, have her branded with my mark and sent to my private wing."

I regarded him with one raised eyebrow, but said nothing as I took my seat behind my desk.

His crimson eyes became two fiery coals and I could feel the heat of his rage all the way across the room. "God, you're insufferable, Aro, absolutely insufferable! You always take the best, it's like you think better than everyone else. We, _the_ _three of us_, are the Volturi not _you_ by yourself." Then he narrowed his gaze and pointed one of his pale bonny fingers at me. "I want her, I don't care if you've already marked her . . . I want her, do you understand?"

"For what porous," I dismissed calmly, I wasn't about to give in to his demands. "So that you can fall upon her like a wild animal and drain her dry. What a waist that would be, to take all of her at once instead of savoring her. You do not possess the patience required to keep and enjoy a delicacy as rare and succulent as Lillian."

"Now see here Aro . . ."

"_No_, you see here," I cut him off. "You lack both the patience and the restraint required to keep and care for her; you've proven your short comings in this area repeatedly. Ever month the Guard has to dispose of at least one body because you lose control and kill one of you private stock. The porous of the Colony is to create a renewable resource, but you cannot renew that which you destroy. The girl is mine and that's final." I turned to Marcus then and added, "Do you have any objection you wish to lodge on the subject?"

He didn't answer right away; instead he adjudicated on the matter for a number of minuets. The slow deliberate way he considered things reminded me of one of those Galapagos tortoises.

"No Aro," he finally replied quietly. I was relieved when he spoke, as I was starting to wonder if his advanced age had caused him to turn into a statue . . . for good. "I think it might be best to leave you with your prize. I am a man of simple tastes and if this girl's blood stirs the palate as intensely as it does the nose, I think I should find it very disagreeable, the kind of indulgence that would give a man gout or indigestion . . . if he were human."

*****

I would have departed from my office to visit the new addition to my private reserve, but after my encounter with Marcus and Caius I needed time to cool off. It incensed me the way my brother busted into my office and demanded I give him Lillian. If her enchanting blood hadn't put me in such a tolerant mood, I would have ripped his head off.

I closed the computer file I was working on and was about to head for the door when I heard a light knock. Again, I knew instantly by the sound of it exactly who was doing the knocking. I smiled; he had her medical report ready for my review.

Instead of simply beckoning him in, I was in such a pleasant frame of mind that I actually answered the door. "Ah, Carlisle," I greeted him enthusiastically. "Please come in old friend." I stepped back to allow him admittance.

"Uhm, I hope I'm not disturbing you Aro," his tone was edged with suspicion.

"No, of course not," I insisted. "You know my door is always open to you, my friend. What can I do for you?"

"Well, I . . . uhm," He held the manila folder in his hand and I smiled warmly at him.

"You have Lillian's medical report," I decided to help him out a bit by suggesting the obvious and then I extended my hand to receive the file.

"Yes, I do." He replied, handing me the report. Something about his expression seemed off, but I couldn't quite place it.

"Is something the matter," I asked. I was starting to get a bit concerned. "Please tell me that the girl doesn't have any unforeseen defects. I've already sampled her and found her to be singularly exceptional . . . and I didn't notice any odd back notes to her flavor that would suggest illness."

"No, you're quite right," He replied absently, "she's fine."

"Then what has you so . . . distracted, my friend?"

"Nothing," he dismissed me, "it's nothing Aro."

"Hum," I crossed my arms a glared at him. "Are you trying to convince yourself of this lie or me, because while _you _might be buying that story . . . I'm not? I've seen that look on your face before," I paused for a moment and dropped my voice into a more serious tone. "If I recall correctly, his name was Richard and he reminded you so much of Edward that you often called him by your son's name. Which one of your children does Lillian remind you of?"

Very few times, since I came to know him, had I ever seen Carlisle truly stunned, but that is exactly was I saw. His face was a blank mask and his eyes were emotionless, from the exterior he was completely unreadable. While he remained in this in-between state I lightly brushed his hand and had all my questions instantly answered. Still I waited for his reply.

"Alice," he finally answered as he swallowed hard. "If her hair was cropped short and her eyes were golden, they could pass for twins." Then he fixed me with the strangest look, "Promises me you won't hurt her, I don't think I could stand it again." The remark was a desperate cross between a plea and a demand.

"First of all, I would never hurt her," I began my assurance softly. "Lillian is so unique and so special that I will do anything within my power to see to her safety and well being. Secondly, Richard belonged to Caius not to me, so I had no hand in his unfortunate death. In fact, I took Lillian for myself in order to protect her from Caius . . . even after twenty years of maintaining his own stock, he lacks adequate self-control."

I still saw worry etched on his face and I made one last attempt to soothe it away as we walked towards the door together. "You're not the only one who is fond of her," I confided honestly. In his memories I took note of his budding emotional attachment to the girl and I truly did share this. She had impressed me greatly with her courage in the induction room. "I'm taken by her as well, in a very personal way, just as you are . . . and I would ask a sincere favor of you."

He turned expectantly to me and, though he didn't speak, I read interest in his eyes. I smiled as I made my request. "You do an outstanding job here in your post as Medical Director; I've been impressed with everything you've done. I know that you give each and every member of the Colony the highest level of care and attention, so I feel a bit awkward in asking this, but . . . I would ask you to please help me give Lillian everything she needs to be happy and thrive here, keep a special eye on her for me."

I watched as Carlisle's eyes lit with determination and a new sense of focus. "Of course Aro, you know that I will. You have but to ask, and I'll do all that I can."


	3. Chapter 3

Note: I do not own or have rightsto Twilight or it's characters!!!!!

_I've been working on this chapter for a while and found it frustrating so I set it aside. Yesterday, I was feeling broody and dark so I finished it. Later on, as things progress, I my add a few sections from Carlisle's POV I'm not sure yet. I love Dr. C with all my human heart, but he has a tendancy to take over when I let him speak. We'll have to see._

_Enjoy!_

Chapter 3

**Lillian**

I followed Hide through the dizzying maze of hallways; she kept a brisk pace that I found difficult to keep up with. When I asked her to slow down because I was nearly out of breath from jogging behind her, she whirled around and glared at me. Though she said nothing the flash of crimson fire in her unnatural red eyes spoke volumes; I was an insignificant spec to her, she wasn't going to slow her pace to suit me, and I should _shut up_ and _keep up_ if I knew what was good for me.

After what seemed like a marathon of chasing behind the lithe female vampire, we came to a set of impressive bronze double doors. The same emblem that was freeze branded on my arm adorned the massive doors.

"This is Aro's private wing where he houses his personal stock." She informed my curtly before swinging the left door open and motioning me through. "Unless there's some trouble brewing in the Colony, these doors remain unlocked during the day and you can come and go from the wing as you please. That is unless you're on lock-down from an infraction of one of the minor rules," she paused and grinned wickedly at me; it was the sort of look that taunted, 'I know something you don't. In a flash the look was gone and she finished her sentence, "but, I'm getting ahead of things."

She said nothing more as she escorted me at a slower pace down the broad hallway beyond the doors. We stopped again when we came to a less impressive and much smaller door along the long colonnade marked 'A-16'. Hide used a grey key-card to unlock and then open the door.

"Welcome to your new home." Her voice was a dull monotone that wasn't in the least bit welcoming. "This is your suite." Her voice boomed from behind me as she followed me through the entrance. "Look around and make yourself at home. Aro will be by soon for your orientation. I usually give such speeches to then new arrivals, but Aro prefers a more . . . _personal_ touch with his private stock."

Then she turned as strode towards the exit. "Hey," I called after her; she stopped and glared hotly at me. I could clearly tell she was annoyed by my audacity to speak. "Don't I get a key?" I asked meekly as I pointed to the key-card in her hand.

"You get a key _when _and _if_ Aro decides to give you one," she replied coldly as she continued on her way to the door. "You're his property now and your liberties are a matter of his discursion. In the mean time, you will remain locked in here. Trust me, as insanely delectable as you smell; right now . . . this room is the safest place in the entire Colony for you to be."

The door closed behind her and I was left alone.

"Make my self at home," I sneared under my breath, "Yeah, right! More like find the freaking exit."

******

**Aro**

I was calmer after my conversation with Carlisle; he had a certain way about him that eased troubled spirits. I'd seen him use that subtle charm on humans and vampires alike. Like his compassionate nature and unsurpassed control around blood, the ability to set those around him at ease with a kind word or warm smile was a gift.

It was good to have him at my disposal, especially in matters concerning Lillian. The thought of my newly acquired pet made the corners of my mouth curl into a satisfied smile. I could still picture her countenance clearly in my mind; a natural expression of fear on her face, but a courageous inner fire burning behind her eyes. And the taste of her, I groaned reflexively at the memory of her essence as it washed across my tongue. Over the vast course of my four thousand year existence, I had never encountered anything like her and I doubted I ever would again. Not even the fiery ambrosia of my mate's blood had ignited me the way Lillian's had.

I shook the thought of my precious new acquisition from my mind, focusing my thoughts instead on Carlisle. He looked after all the members of the Colony with great care and I was appreciative of his diligence. Still, I couldn't overlook what I saw in his thoughts, already he had formed a strong emotional attachment, to my Lillian; associating her with his beloved Alice. While the attachment concerned me on one level, I was well aware of my inherent jealous streak, I also knew that because of his fondness, Carlisle would watch after my prize even closer.

I remembered, with a twang of regret, how fond he was of Richard, even taking the young man under his tutelage in the infirmary. Had Caius not killed the lad, he would no doubt be a first rate physician's assistant by now.

After a brisk walk I arrived at suite A-16 in my private wing. I stood very still, focusing my ears to detect any sound from within. The rustlings of fabric, the padding of bear feet and, of all things, the sound of _moving furniture_ greeted my predatory hearing. I had noted many thing, many widely varied and unusual behaviors, in newly acquired stock over the years; everything from violent outburst that required sedation to inconsolable weeping that went on for weeks. Never had I known a new inductee to move furniture around; throw it in a fit of rage perhaps, but not rearrange it.

Curious as to what Lillian was up to and eager to talk to her as well, I knocked lightly at the door before swiping my key-card and entering. As I ghosted through the doorway, the force of her scent accosted me. My throat grew tight as thirst raked her fiery fingernails up and down its length. I called to mind once again the intoxicating taste of her essence and the beast within me begged to claim the rest of her. It took every ounce of control I possessed not to fall upon her and drain her dry.

To distract myself, I returned the focus of my attention to the mischief that my new pet was up to. In the hall, I was intrigued by the commotion I heard coming from beyond the locked door. What I found within the suit shocked me even more that the disembodied sounds I was listening to. Lillian had moved the heavy mahogany coffee table from in front of the sofa and positioned it under one of the air-conditioning vents. On top of this she placed a chair from the dining table. She was standing in the chair inspecting the vent and the ceiling tiles around it.

She paid me no heed as I floated across the room on eternally silent feet, instead she continued her inspection. "Good afternoon, my pet," I greeted her in the warm friendly tone that I'd found humans responded to best. "Might I inquire as to what you are doing?"

Only then did she pause to look at me; an intriguing sort of fire burned in the depths of her amber eyes. Her earlier courage in the induction room had impressed me, eliciting a sense of admiration and, dare I say, affection for this girl. Her present behavior, unless I was seriously mistaken regarding her motives, had me troubled.

"Do you want the truth," she asked confidently, "or a lie?"

A sudden wave of her scent washed down to greet me, carried on the air current stirred by the ventilation system coming on. For several seconds I was forced to hold my breath as I fought to maintain control of my senses. I would not be like Caius and disgrace myself by falling upon the girl; it would give my brother far too much pleasure if I did. I would never hear the end of his gloating.

Once again I willed the focus of my thoughts into another direction, fixing them on my pet's refreshing personality. Very rarely had I ever run across a human who genuinely lacked fear of me. Lillian bordered on being one of these; the only noticeable indication that she might be even the slightest bit afraid was the increase in her heart rate when her gaze met mine.

"The truth would be preferable, of course," I began as I moved closer to the shaky structure she was perched upon. This was not only an attempt to escape the bombardment of her scent blowing directly at me from the vent, but, on the off chance that she might fall, I would be in a better position to catch her.

"It matters little, however," I continued casually, "as the next time I touch you, your thoughts will be mine and I'll know the truth anyway."

"Fine, the truth it is then." She replied with a shrug and then pushed up on one of the tiles, peering into the pitch black crawl space above it. "I'm looking for a way to escape." Then she glared down at me as if daring me to do something about it. "Satisfied," she grumped before returning to her search.

"Quite. Thank you for your candor." I continued to watch her probe the ceiling for two more minutes before I decided it was time to begin her orientation. Hopefully once I had a chance to impress the rules upon her, this nonsense about escaping would dissipate.

"Why don't you come down from there before you fall," I suggested lightly. If she wouldn't comply with my casual request, I was prepared to make my demand a bit more forcefully. "I would hate to see some avoidable calamity befall you. Carlisle would never forgive me if you ended up in his infirmary on your first day with us."

She let the ceiling tile drop back into place and then turned to regard me with her fierce amber eyes. It was as if she could see right through my stony flesh and in to the very center of my being; in four thousand years, I had never felt this exposed. For the first time since meeting her I could see why she reminded my good friend of his enigmatic middle daughter.

After a moment longer she climbed from the chair to the coffee table.

"Here, let me help you, my pet," I offered her my hand to help keep her steady. I was pleased when she accepted the gesture as it ensured that she wouldn't fall and hurt herself while at the same time it afforded me the opportunity to scan her recent thoughts. "Never let it be said that Aro is anything less than a perfect gentleman."

She truly did wish to escape, thought she had no real plan for how to accomplish the task. Since arriving in her room, she had spent a considerable amount of time poking around looking for any means that might facilitate her quest for freedom. She had been quite disappointed when she learned that the windows were false. The holographic display screens depicted, in real time and in accordance with current weather conditions, scenes from outside the compound. They helped prevent sensory deprivation and maintain proper human circadian rhythms; things which Carlisle assured me were important to overall good human health.

"Why do you keep calling me that?" She inquired once her feet were firmly on the floor again.

"I beg your pardon?" I was still holding her hand so, of course, I knew exactly what she meant, but I intended for her to ask me outright.

"Why do you keep calling me . . . _My pet_?"

"Does it offend you?" I asked as I directed her towards the sofa. She shook her head, but I knew this was a small lie of sorts. While it didn't offend her to be called _my pet_, she did find it unsettling. It would seem that Carlisle had mentioned something to her about the porous of the Colony during his exam. I would have to speak to him about divulging too much information to new inductees before they were properly prepared to hear it.

"It's a term of endearment, nothing more." I soothed as I took my own seat in the armchair near the hearth. "I have found, over the years that such forms of address helps to put humans at ease. Don't you agree with my findings?""

I knew exactly where her thoughts were heading on this subject and I hoped to draw them out and head them off before despondency set in. To have my stock resigned to acceptance of their new life was one thing; it tended to make them happier in the long run thus extending their life expectancy and improving the taste of their essence. However, to have an individual spiral into despair and melancholy caused them to pine away and imparted an unsavory bitterness to their blood.

"No, I don't agree," She insisted. "Because I'm _not_ your _pet _. . . I'm your property, more akin to your cow," then her voice dropped and so did her gaze, "or your slave. "

I found her boldness almost as alluring as her scent. The rest of my human stock looked at me with empty eyes and spoke with dull voices. As time passed, life in the Colony tamed them, breaking their spirited nature and making them as docile as sheep. In Lillian I saw something different. In her, I saw the haughty spirit of the American mustang, wild and unconquered and willing to risk everything to remain that way.

This observation worried me greatly for two reasons. One, where I'd seen this characteristic in inductees before, it usually ended tragically either by suicide or execution for breaking the First Cardinal Rule. The second reason was more personal; in all honesty a deep part of me didn't wish to see her wild spirit broken. The thought of not seeing that confidant fire in her amber eyes and hearing boldness in her voice saddened me to no end and yet she had to be broken of it if I intended to keep her for any length of time.

"And what makes you think this?" I asked after a time. Thought I already knew the answer to my question from perusing her thought, I wanted to hear her speak what was on her heart.

"Well for starters, livestock and slaves are the only living things that people tend to mark by branding." She replied as she met and held my gaze.

She did have a point, I thought with a sigh. "True," I replied casually, "But I can assure you that you're most defiantly not a slave. I will not have you toiling in the fields under the relentless Mediterranean sun, nor will you labor as a servant to wait upon me hand and foot." I dismissed. "You are indeed my property, exclusive to me, that much of your observation is correct. However I will endeavor, as best I can, to make your life here a happy and comfortable one." I paused and then added, "So, as you can see, you truly are . . . _my pet_. All that is required of you is that you submit to your scheduled blood collections, and of course, your obedience to a few simple rules."

"Rules," She crossed her arms over her chest as the word fell, almost as a challenge, from her lips.

Once more, I found myself enchanted by the wild beauty of Lillian's indomitable spirit. While outwardly I maintained my mask of benevolent indifference, internally a smile warmed my long dead heart.

"Yes, rules." I answered her challenging glare with a well practiced friendly smile. "It is impossible for any society to exist without them; good order would quickly disintegrate into anarchy."

She didn't reply so I continued with her orientation. "There are three Cardinal Rules and a number of lesser ones. I will start with the Cardinal Rules because, while they are simple enough, violation of these will end very unpleasantly for you as they are capital offenses."

She continued to remain silent, listening intently to me. "The first one is perhaps the most important," I pointed the pyramid of furniture she had constructed, "Especially since you have already contemplated breaking it.

"Escape is not an option. No attempt at escape is tolerated." I watched her features blanch as her gaze shifted uncomfortably from the stack of furniture back to me. I knew from reading her thoughts, that Lillian was highly intelligent, for a human. I had no doubt that she fully understood the implications of my words. I decided to dismiss her unvoiced fear. "You were previously unaware of the rule, my pet; therefore I cannot hold you accountable. In the future, however, I am afraid I won't be so indulgent with you."

Mentally I made a note to have maintenance come in and bolt most of her furniture to the floor as well as add a few extra cameras. I could see that Lillian's indomitable spirit would take time to quell and for her to give up on thoughts of freedom. I did not intend to risk losing my prize due to carelessness or laps in security. If presented with an impenetrable, all be it velvet, cage, I surmised, she would soon grow weary of searching for weaknesses in it.

"For those rare few who succeed in escaping," I continued when some of her healthy color returned, "they are quickly hunted down and brought back for punishment. Escape or attempted escape will earn you a swift execution in front of the entire assembled Colony. I am a firm believer in the public administration of punishment, Lillian; it acts as a very effective deterrent and therefore it has to be done less often.

"The Second Cardinal Rule is; no outside contact, of any kind, is permitted. That means no phones, no internet, on correspondence what so ever." I paused and pointed to the plasma screen TV on the near wall. "I'm am not so insensitive as to deprive my pets from knowing what goes on in the world abroad; the satellite television receives over four hundred stations and over half of those are in English.

"That notwithstanding, if you are caught trying to make outside contact, in any way, shape, or form . . . a swift public execution will be your fate. And as an aside, the individual or individuals you were attempting to contact will also be hunted down destroyed. Are we clear so far?"

"And the third rule," she insisted in response. She was trying to appear brave but the thrum of her heart betrayed her. Her reaction was adorable and I wanted to smile, but it was better for her if I maintained my mask of indifference.

"The Third Cardinal Rule is a bit more ambiguous that the first to and so the final judgment as to whether you are in violation of it is left up to me and of course my brothers." I took a breath and let it out slowly. The third rule wasn't as strictly enforced as the first two, and only a handful of humans had ever been executed for its violation. "I am a man who enjoys peace and tranquility; I do not appreciate . . . how do you humans put it again . . . Oh yes . . . I do not appreciate _drama_. To that end, the Third Cardinal Rule is simply this; trouble makers, agitators, those who would encourage insurrection, or those who repeatedly disrupt the public peace are _eliminated_.

"You will find this is quite the peaceably kingdom, Lillian. Here the lions and the lambs live together rather harmoniously." Now I did smile, I was proud of what I had achieved with the founding of the Colony. My first act of greatness in the vampire world was to unify its population under the control of Volturi power; my second was to introduce the civilizing affects 'agriculture' in the form of the Colony. "Follow the rules, do as you are told, submit to the blood collections, and you will enjoy a comfortable and, dare I say, even a pampered life here. I work very hard to make my stock, _my pets_, happy. You will find me to be a most indulgent benefactor, Lillian . . . within reason of course."


	4. Chapter 4

**Note: **I do not own or have rights to Twilight or it's characters!

_Final exams are over! :) I got an **A **in American History and a **B** in Trig (that yucky math course) . . . Old dogs, with a lot of effort, can learn new tricks! In the fall I'm taking Comparitive Vertebrate Anatomy and American Government. I can't wait for the anatomy class, I love that sort of thing._

_Sorry for the wait on the chapters, but school comes first. Enjoy!_

**Chapter 4**

"_You will find me to be a most indulgent benefactor, Lillian . . . within reason of course."_

No matter how hard I tried, I couldn't get that statement or that fact that I was now, in essences, a human dairy cow, out of my mind. Those mortifying words interrupted my thoughts at inopportune moments and haunted my already fitful sleep. They were the last things I considered when I closed my eyes at night and the first things to greet me when I opened them every morning. If I had never experienced depression before, I was sure that the shadow of it loomed large over me now.

It didn't help matters that Aro, my owner, came to visit me every evening. He made it a habit of regularly visiting all his 'pets' at least once or twice a week to check on their condition. New arrivals, like me, got a dose of more concentrated attention to ensure that we acclimated well to our new situation. At least that was his theory anyway.

On a personal level, if Aro had been just an ordinary person instead of the blood drinking vampire that was currently holding me captive, I might have actually liked the man. He was never rude or abusive during his visits. In fact, he was very charming in a creepy sort of way; a weird cross between Gomez Adams from the _Adams Family _and Vito Corleone from the _Godfather_.

Most importantly he never tried to take liberties with me. To the contrary, he seemed genuinely interested in my well being; asking if I needed anything, inquiring after what hobbies I enjoyed, even offering me access to his vast personal library. Of course these pleasantries did nothing to gloss over the reality of my situation.

When I angrily asked why he even cared what I liked or how I felt, he replied gently, _"Because I want you to be happy my pet."_

His answer infuriated me even more and I ended up hurling a table lamp along with a number of profane words at him. My punishment for what he deemed, 'my irrational and erratic outburst,' was to be denied a key to my quarters. I was on lockdown until further notice.

"I am sorry to see that you have not yet settled into your new life, Lillian," I remembered him telling me sternly. "As long as you persist in your wild behavior and attempt to bite the hand that feeds you, you will not be granted the privilege of coming and going as you please. I had hoped to give you a pass key this week and show you around the Colony, but I fear that must now wait."

That had been over a week ago and I was still on punishment. Well just what had he expected, I wondered as I gazed with disinterest at the movie on the plasma screen? I mean after all, I was in this place against my will and I hadn't been here for more than two weeks. That's not enough time to adjust to a new hairdo let alone a new life situation. Suddenly I'm supposed to enjoy being a prisoner; I'm supposed to find the notion of being livestock as agreeable as butterflies and ice cream. And let's not forget the pleasant little fact that death awaits me if I try to escape from Aro's Little Eden.

I was seething again by the time the front door opened. Had I bothered to pay attention the schedule Heidi posted on my bedroom wall, I would have realized what today was. I watched defiantly as Jane entered my apartment, smug contentment was etched on her stone hard face.

"Time to earn you keep," She sneered. "Get up and let's go. Aro wants me to escort you to the collection center."

My first collection, I grumbled to myself. Today they would take blood from me . . . if I let them. A slow smile spread across my face as I crossed my arms over my chest; I hoped my current body language was sufficient to say, 'up yours.' I had no intention of going anywhere with the fembot leader of the goon squad.

"Oh, you intend to resist," Jane practically sang the words. "I was hoping you would."

Suddenly I was on the floor and writhing in extreme pain. Jane stood over me, smiling with satisfaction. "That's just a taste of what I can do, little girl. Aro would have my head if I truly hurt you; I am, however, allowed to enforce my orders. Although I'm not permitted to turn the full furry of my gift lose on you, there are several more _'safe' _levels of pain that I would be more than happy to acquaint you with." She chirped contentedly before a deep frown turned down the corners of her mouth. She released me then, but I remained on the floor as I struggled to catch my breath. "Now get up and let's go. I have better thing to do with my time that babysitting one of Aro's unruly pets."

She turned and started for the door without even offering to help me up. When I finally made it into the hallway, Jane was waiting impatiently for me. I followed her in silence through the rabbit warren of corridors until we emerged into an expansive open commons area. The ceiling here soared to at least three stories and skylights flooded the space with outside light. The smell of food filled the air and there were shops and places to sit and socialize. But the thing that really struck me was the people, the human people that mingled all around me. The comforting sound of their voices blurred together to form a constant buzz. The surreal scene reminded me of a Saturday afternoon at the mall.

"Behave yourself," Jane chided, "and Aro will give you a key card. Then you can come here during the day and enjoy yourself. It might surprise you what delights are here for your amusement."

She continued on, leading me through the crowd until we came to the far end of the space. A welcoming façade brightly lit with neon letters announced that we had arrived at the Medical Plaza. To one side there was a set of doors marked 'Infirmary' in several languages and bearing the ever familiar Red Cross. The other door stood propped open and a line of people snaked out of its gaping maw. The stainless steel letters over this door read Collection Center.

"Now listen girl," Jane barked drawing my attention back to her. "I have no intention of holding your hand while you wait in line. So here's how this is going to go down; they're expecting you in there so you're going to get in line and wait your turn, when you've finished giving your essence, you're going to wait inside the center until I return to get you. Understand?"

I nodded like a good little girl; I was in no hurry to get another taste of Jane's gift.

"That's better," she hummed approvingly, and then she added in a more sever tone, "Do not let me catch you wandering around in the commons when I return . . . I promises you, you won't like my brand of discipline."

She turned and walked away then and I watched as she diapered into the crowd. After a few minutes, I turned my attention to the long line of people than waited for their turn in collections. My parent's home in rural south Alabama wasn't far from a working dairy farm. I remembered being fascinated by the fact that every morning and every evening those soft eyed black and white Holsteins would trek from every corner of the farm to the milking barn to be relieved of their liquid white gold. I saw in the line of people before me, the same placidity that I remembered in the eyes of those cows. I felt an involuntary shutter race up my spine as I wondered how long it would be before I looked like that.

I couldn't say how long I'd stood there watching the line move slowly forward, but suddenly a light musical voice was calling my name. The voice was familiar and warm . . . and male. When I pulled my eyes away from the line of humanity, I found the tall blond-haired Dr. Cullen walking purposefully towards me. A pleasant smile lit his entire face and echoed through his whole body as he approached.

"Ah, Lilly," He continued to speak to me as he came nearer. "I was wondering when I'd have the pleasure of seeing you again."

Lilly, the name lingered in my mind. No one had called me that since my Dad died.

"Where have you been, child," he continued brightly. "I've been watching for you in the commons for the past week. I was hoping to spot you so that I could check up on how you're settling in."

"I'm not settling in very well, Dr. Cullen." I replied sadly as my gaze dropped to the floor. Why I felt badly for having to admit this to him, I couldn't say.

"Oh, I'm very sorry to hear that," concern rippled in his voice and his gentle hand came to rest on my shoulder. "What seems to be the problem, perhaps I can help."

I took several deep breaths as I fought with myself. A part of me wanted to trust the mild-mannered and kindly Dr. Cullen, to spill before him the torrent of troubled thoughts and painful longings that swam within me. Another part of me continued to insist that he too was a vampire and therefore responsible for my current situation . . . he was the enemy and not to be trusted.

"Come with me." He whispered softly. When I looked up, he was holding his hand out for me to take.

"To where." I asked as I placed my hand in his, but he only smiled at me as he closed his hand around mine.

He led me past the long line of people and towards the entrance to the collection center. "I have someone I want you to meet," he said over his shoulder as we walked. "But first, you have business to attend too. Aro will be looking forward to your donation, if he doesn't receive it . . . well, he can get a bit testy when he's disappointed."

At the door, the crimson eyed guard greeted the doctor and waved him through. I wasn't so fortunate.

"No jumping line," the dark haired guard sneered as he stepped in front of me.

Before I could answer, my honey eyed escort clamped his hand on the guard's shoulder. "She's with me, Alec. Let her pass."

"I don't care who she's with," Alec replied shrugging of Dr. Cullen's grip. "If she's here for a collection she can get in line and wait her turn."

I watched the doctor sigh, his shoulders drooping in defeat. For a moment I thought he would dismiss me to go get in line, but in a confusing blur of motion that was over before it started, he suddenly had Alec pinned against the wall.

"I utterly detest violence, Alec," the doctor spoke softly, but I could hear a low growl ringing in his words. He held Alec tight to the wall as he continued to lecture the young man. "It annoys me to no end when I am forced to resort to _unpleasantness_ . . . so I implore you, do not test my hand further in this matter.

"You may hold rank with the Volturi Guard and have Aro's blessing, but I am the Medical Director of the Colony and in this place, the Medical Plaza, my authority is supreme. If I say that the girl is with me, then that is exactly what I mean and the only response that I expect from you is; 'Yes Dr. Cullen, have a nice day.'" He let Alec go then and stepped back.

When no further remarks were made, the doctor turned and held his hand out to me again. The display of aggression between the two males had me frightened and a practically leapt at the opportunity to take the doctor's hand. Though I didn't like the idea of having a needle in my arm and a pint of my blood taken, I preferred that over being anywhere near Alec.

Dr. Cullen led me down a long colonnade with cots spaced evenly along both sides. Some cots were occupied by people having their blood collected, others were empty. I kept expecting that we would stop at one of these empty cots, but we kept walking until we came to a set of double doors.

"This is the Special Collections suite." He informed me quietly as he held the door open for me. "As Aro's personal stock, this is where you will come for your collections."

The Special Collections room was smaller and friendlier than the long ward like area we walked through. Here there were no hospital cots; instead a dozen or so comfortable looking day beds lined the walls around the room. Two matronly ladies in green scrubs smiled warmly as they nodded their greeting to the doctor.

"Over here," he directed me gentle, pointing to an empty bed.

By the time I was settled in, the doctor retuned to my side with an armload of supplies. He smiled as he took a seat on the edge of the day bed and proceeded to tie the tourniquet around my upper arm. I closed my eyes and turned my head away because I didn't want to see what was coming next. I hated needles.

Forty five minutes later, the gentle doctor was removing the needles from the crook of my arm. A plastic bag containing a pint of my warm dark red blood lay on the bedside table.

"All done," he told me cheerfully as he placed a band aid over the tiny hole in my arm. "Now that we have that awful business over with, we can move on to more pleasant things," he insisted as he helped me to sit up. I would have immediately gotten off the daybed but the doctor restrained me. "Slow and steady is the way to go, my dear; remember you've just had a pint of blood taken . . . if you move too quickly, you're labial to pass out."

When he deemed it safe, he allowed me to get up. "Come with me," he invited warmly. "You could use something to drink and a hearty snack to replace the fluids and nutrients that you just lost." He wrapped one arm around my shoulders and began leading me towards a rear door. "Always try to eat and drink something after your collections," he instructed as we walked. "Usually you'll be given cookies and juice, but that's really not enough. Unless the experience leaves you nauseous, eat a light meal as soon as possible after you collections and drink plenty of water for the next twenty four hours or so to stave off dehydration."

"Yes, Dr. Cullen." I replied shyly.

"Please, call me Carlisle," he insisted kindly. "Dr. Cullen is much too formal, I reserve that address for strangers, individuals I dislike, or those whom I wish to keep at arm's length."

"I'm sorry, I meant to be respectful."

"Of course, your manors are impeccable; a rare thing these days." We stopped in front of a plain looking door and Carlisle swiped his keycard. "Welcome to my humble abode," He announced as he stepped aside to allow me to enter first.

The room I entered was warm and inviting. It was furnished tastefully with Victorian antiques and a fire burned in the small hearth on the far wall. The smell backed goods filled the air and soft music played from the discreetly hidden stereo system. I was suddenly reminded of my great grandmother's house down in Biloxi.

"Carlisle, your home early, "a light angelic voice chirped, "And you've brought an unexpected guest."

I scanned the room searching for the voice and found that a caramel haired woman had suddenly appeared by the fireplace. I was sure she wasn't there a moment ago.

"Esme, I'd like you to meat Lillian," he introduced me politely to her and then reversed the introduction. "Lillian, this is my wife, Esme."

"Oh my, Carlisle," Esme gasped as she approached. "You weren't exaggerating, the resemblance is . . . uncanny."

I was more than a little confused; what resemblance was she talking about? My heartbeat suddenly increased and I could hear my pulse thundering in my ears. I found it hard to breath and the edges of my vision were fading from gray to black. I tried to say that I wasn't feeling well; I thought I got the words out but I wasn't sure. Blackness clouded my vision completely then, and for a brief moment I felt my body falling . . . and then there was nothing.

"Come back child," the voice that called to me was familiar but it sounded distant. "Come on now, don't do this to me." The voice was closer this time and it was accompanied by an awful stench.

My eyes flew open and I found myself lying on the ground looking up at the ceiling. Carlisle's face filled over half my field of vision; he looked very worried. Instinct insisted that I get up, the doctor insisted I stay put; he restrained me as I struggled to get off the floor.

"Not just yet," he soothed, keeping eye on me as he screwed the cap back on the vile of smelling salts before returning it to his pants pocket. Then seeming to sense my confusion he added, "You fainted, this is why it is essential that you eat after each collection. If you make a habit of this sort of thing, however, I'm afraid I'm going to have to oversee all your collections personally . . . in my office." With that he helped me to my feet and settled me on the couch. "Esme has gone to get you a snack and something to drink."

Moments later, Esme arrived with the most delicious looking sandwich I'd ever seen and a tall glass of ice cold lemonade to wash it down with. She placed the plate and glass on the coffee table in front of me; my mouth was already watering. Two years of life on the street had destroyed what table manners my poor mother managed to instill in me; before I realized what I was doing, I'd wolfed down three quarters of the sandwich. When I looked up, mouth still full, I found two sets of bemused honey-gold eyes looking back at me.

"Doesn't Aro feed the poor girl?" Esme whispered to her husband.

Carlisle smiled at his wife's indignant question but didn't reply to it. Instead he turned his attention to me.

"You should eat slower," he insisted, "devouring your meals like that is bad for your digestion . . . not to mention the fact that it's a choking hazard."

"Yes sir," I muttered through a mouthful of food. I finished the rest of my snack at a more civilized pace and felt much better when I was done.

"Now, you mentioned to me earlier that you weren't adjusting well to life in the Colony," Carlisle began with a sigh. "Why don't you tell us what the trouble is; perhaps we can help."

I felt like a deer caught in the headlights of an oncoming eighteen-wheeler; confused and frightened with nowhere to run. I didn't know what to say. Oddly, once again the strange compulsion came over me to spill all my troubled thoughts to the honey-eyed doctor. And what was worse, the sensation seemed stronger in the presence of his caramel-haired wife.

"Carlisle, you're being rude," Esme corrected her husband gently. "You don't just jump right in and expect the poor girl to tell her life's story to us. For all intents and purposes we're strangers; first we must establish a good rapport." Then she turned to me and smiled warmly. "Why don't you begin by telling us how old you are and where you're from . . . originally?"

This was a good, I felt comfortable with telling them these general things about myself. "Well, my name is Lillian," I paused and glanced at Carlisle, "But, you can call me Lilly if you want too. I just turned seventeen this past March." I sighed and swallowed hard. "My Mom and step Dad live in Prichard, Alabama . . . that's just north of Mobile."

"You see, my dear husband," Esme insisted with a smile, "That's how you establish a rapport."

"Indeed, but it doesn't get us to the bottom of Lilly's troubles." He fixed me with his golden eyes then and, though his expression was serious, I could read deep concern there as well. "You can trust us child, we truly do want to help."

With a deep sigh I finally surrendered, I had nothing to lose. "I . . . I just want to go home. I didn't asked to be here . . . I don't want to be here," Tears that I had been suppressing since the first day I arrived here burst forth and I started crying like a two year old. "I want to . . . to forget . . . this place . . . exists . . . I want . . . to go . . . home."

Instantly I found myself in Esme's arms; she stroked my hair and whispered soothingly to me as she held me. I hadn't felt a mother's love since before my Mom remarried, since before I ran away. The tenderness of her touch and the love that rippled through her words made me cry even harder, but I never wanted her to let me go.

Between sobs, I heard the coffee table in front of me groan as Carlisle sat down on it. He took one of my hands in his, adding his comforting touch to that of his wife. He took a deep breath and let it out slowly and I knew he was about to say something profound even before I heard his soft musical voice.

"Were it within my power to do so, Lilly, I would rewrite history," he sighed, his thumb stroked the back of my knuckles as he continued, "I would make it so that Heidi and her team never found you . . . make it such that you were never brought to this cursed place. Unfortunately, however, those are things which are beyond the scope of my ability.

"I don't want you to misconstrue what I'm about to say to you," he paused and I could hear both pain and concern in his voice. "It's going to sound quite harsh and perhaps even a little cruel, but I assure you that it isn't intended that way at all." He paused again before going on, "The sooner you put the notion of going home out of your mind, the sooner you forget about your old life and accept your current situation . . . the happier you'll be. Whether you like it or not, in spite of the unfairness of things, this is your reality now and nothing is going to change that fact . . . no matter how much _you_ or _we_ might wish it otherwise." He turned my face then so that my tear clouded bleary eyes focused on his inhumanly beautiful face. "Esme and I can't change the fact that you're stuck here, but we would like to help you. You may consider the Infirmary as well as our apartment as a safe sanctuary where you can come at any hour, for any reason, no matter how trivial you might believe it to be. Always know that you are cared for, Lilly, and while we aren't all-knowing and all-powerful we will listen to you and we will help you in whatever way we can."

Esme continued to hold me, rocking me gently until my sobbing stopped and I drifted off to sleep. I dreamed of being home, fishing the inland waterway around Mobile Bay. I dreamed of summers spent at my great grandmother's home in Biloxi watching the sun set over the Gulf of Mexico while eating homemade ice cream on her front porch. For the first time in over two years, I slept deeply and peacefully because for the first time in a long time I felt secure.


	5. Chapter 5

**Note: **I do not own or have rights to Twilight or its characters!

Chapter 5

**Aro**

I turned my newly acquired treasure over in my hands, examining it for any damage that might have occurred during shipment. The puzzle box was of ancient Persian design and, according to the dealers from whom I acquired it; it had once belonged to Leonardo Da Vinci. Something quite valuable was hidden inside the box, the dealer informed me, but the secret to unlocking it was lost. Because of its vast age and rare provenance, no one would risk destroying the priceless object just to know what it held.

"Aro," my mate's lilting voice called softly causing me to smile. "What new toy are you playing with now" she inquired as she ghosted up behind me. Her hands came to rest upon my shoulders and she began kneading them just the way I liked. "Honestly, you're like a little boy . . . always with some new plaything or other to absorb your interest."

"Do I detect a note of jealousy in your enchanting voice, my love?" I teased. Sulpicia was my one and only love, my mate for all eternity. Why she found it necessary to be jealous of my hobby I could not fathom.

"Hump," she grunted in disgust as she squeezed my shoulders a little harder than usual. "_Me,_ jealous of a dusty old relic . . . I should think not."

There was something about her answer, a note of intense unspoken irritation, which caused me to put down my treasure and turn the full focus of my attention on my mate. "But," I prompted lightly.

"But what," she dismissed.

"Sulpicia, my love, we have been husband and wife for a little more than two thousand years," I sighed. "If I have learned nothing else in that time, I have mastered knowing when something has you annoyed. It's unlike you not to speak your mind with me, so please . . . tell me what has you upset."

"Court gossip, Aro," she stopped massaging my shoulders as she spoke the words. I watched the graceful sway of her body as she move to stand in front of the Moroccan screen the covered my study window. I was instantly mesmerized by the play of sunlight across her exposed alabaster skin; a fierce primal desire suffused me and it was all I could do to keep myself in check.

"Though I am not like a sister to Athenodora as I was to Didyme," she continued and I focused my mind on her words in order to distract me from my more lustful thoughts. "This doesn't keep me from talking to the spiteful little wench. She said that one of your new human pets has you practically falling all over yourself and that you deliberately stole her right out from under everyone else's noses."

"My love is jealous of one of my pets then," I dismissed casually. "This is worse than I first thought."

"I'm not jealous," she growled defiantly and then in a softer tone she added, "I'm concerned. According to Dora, Caius is absolutely livid about the situation." She turned and fixed me with her crimson stair, "Ordinarily your brother's ire over such matters cools with time, but in this instance it has grown more intense instead. I fear that if something isn't done to address this, Caius may do something rash and divisive."

I was intrigued by my mate's observations. I would have to make certain I found an opportunity to touch Caius very soon; so that I might know the scope of his thoughts. If his anger was so all-consuming that he contemplated being disruptive, I would have to find some way to diffuse him.

"What do you suggest I do, my love?" I asked as I continued to ponder the problem of my brother's wrath.

Sulpicia paused to take a deliberate breath before answering me. "Give him the girl Aro, it isn't worth the trouble that keeping her will cause."

I felt my furry rising like hot magma within my core. How could Sulpicia, my beloved mate, suggest such a thing? Lillian was mine, my property, I would never allow another to poses her. A deep rumbling growl tore past my throat before I could suppress it, my mate hissed in response.

"I am sorry," I apologized quietly when I had control of myself again. "My love for you is steadfast," I confessed honestly, "and I did not mean to growl at you. However, I would have you know that giving Lillian over to Caius is out of the question. The girl is mine and I will not tolerate my brother challenging my claim to her in any way."

"You're always so territorial, Aro," she smiled as she crossed the room again. When she came to stand beside my chair, I pulled her down so that she sat in my lap.

"Indeed," I remarked as I wrapped my arms around her, "And you would do well to remember that fact." I insisted as I tapped her nose with my index finger. "What I claim as mine shall remains so; I mark it as mine and I guard it as mine." I kissed the scar on her neck then and added, "Just like you, my darling . . . or have you forgotten the way I claimed you as my eternal mate; the way I marked you all those centuries ago with my teeth and my venom."

She snuggled against me and purred in reply. For a time we sat in silence, enjoying the close contact of each other's company, until Sulpicia thoughtfully broke the stillness.

"I do not think Caius will let this drop, Aro," she sighed. "I fear he'll try something foolish, push you in some way, and cause unnecessary friction in the House of Volturi."

I found myself chuckling; it wouldn't be the first time Caius had caused problems. "I've handled my brother's volcanic temper and impulsivity before, my love . . . I will handle it again. Please stop fretting, everything will work out."

I was about to suggest that my mate and I retire to a more private area of our apartment when Jane burst into my study. Her sudden presence extinguished my amorous desires and forced me back to reality's cruel embrace.

"Your troublesome little pet has gone missing," she informed me curtly.

"Did you not escort her to her scheduled collection as I instructed?" I inquired calmly as I helped Sulpicia get up.

Jane nodded. "I told her specifically to wait for me in the collection canter lobby when she was finished. When I went to retrieve her, she wasn't there nor was she anywhere in the Commons."

A thousand curses in as many languages danced through my mind. Lillian and her strong willed streak were beginning to become tiresome. I had hoped to reward her for her first collection by taking her off punishment and finally giving her a key card. Those hopes now lay dashed at my feet. Instead of giving her some measure of freedom, I was now looking at applying more stringent disciplinary acts against her.

"Will this girl never learn," I hissed.

"I would be more than happy to teach her better manners, Master." Jane insisted as a broad wicked grin spread across her face.

"I might just come to that." I growled as I got up from my chair. I gave my obviously disappointed mate a quick peck on the cheek before following Jane from my study. "That is, if I don't throttle her myself first," I muttered as I we left the apartment.

We quickly covered the maze of private hallways, picking up Dmitri and two others along the way. The maze eventually ended at a set of massive bronze double door that opened onto a grand balcony overlooking the Commons area. Among other things, the balcony was used for ceremonial occasions, public addresses, and the occasional public execution. I frequented the location by myself simply to watch the human stock going about their daily affairs. As we stepped out, the buzz of activity below paused as the humans took notice of us; when no indication was given that their continued attention was required, they went back to their business.

When we reached to floor of the Commons, the crowd instinctively parted to allow our passage. While I insisted that they be well cared for and never abused, the human populace was still rather distrustful of our presence. Thousands of years of ingrained cultural memory were a difficult thing to override; I doubted that they would ever feel wholly comfortable around us.

The Medical Plaza loomed before us. A line of humans extended well into the Commons area as they waited quietly for their turn at the collection center. At the Door, Alec was in charge of monitoring the crowd and checking names off the master list. He quickly stood to attention when he noticed me drawing near.

"Aro, I . . ." I didn't give him a chance to finish his statement, instead I grabbed his wrist with one hand and the clip board he was holding with the other.

His recent memories flooded the corridors of my mind. As I sifted through them I found the ones I required; Carlisle arriving with a very nervous Lillian in tow, a confrontation between Alec and the good doctor, Carlisle diapering into the collection center with Lillian wrapped protectively under his arm. There were no subsequent memories of the girl's return or exit. While I was relieved that she had last been seen in the care of my good friend, I was still concerned by her disappearance. I let Alec go rather roughly; I was considerably less than pleased by the situation.

"Jane, what were my specific orders concerning Lillian?" the words were honey sweet as they dripped from my lips; it should have served as a warning regarding my volatile mood. While I waited for an answer, I glanced through the log sheets. I found Lillian's name on the third page, her check-in signature and time were absent from the record.

"You instructed me to escort her to her scheduled collection, sir." She answered plainly.

"And did I make mention anywhere in my instructions that it was appropriate for you to simply drop her off, like a child at a daycare?" I gestured broadly towards the line of humans with my right hand.

"No, sir," the words were barely above a whisper. Then she straightened a bit, pushed her shoulders back, and continued in a more defiant tone, "But you didn't insist that I stay and _pet sit_ for you either. I gave her a stern warning and the benefit of the doubt concerning her ability to follow _simple orders_. If you can't control her then maybe . . ."

Ordinarily I maintained an air of civility and control in the face of any and all challenges to my absolute authority. I deflected the taunts and sneers of my hot headed brother, Caius, with ease and ignored the snide remarks of his loathsome mate. I was the consummate player of the political game, preferring discreet backstabbing to overt hostility. In this moment, however, a show of forceful authority was defiantly in order. Before she could finish her disrespectful remarks I was on top of her; landing a firm open handed blow to the side Jane's delicate face. Then, before she could gather her wits, I grabbed her by the blouse collar and pinned her to the nearest wall.

"Ah, Jane, the dearest of my dear ones," I crooned in a dangerously silky tone. "Your attitude disappoints me. You may be my top lieutenant, but you would do well to remember your place. I do not keep you around to think or interpret my orders . . . I keep you around to do and obey! Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, sir," she managed when I took the pressure of my forearm off her throat. I nodded with satisfaction before releasing her.

While Jane could have easily subdued me by using her gift, she knew better than to do so. Long ago I warned her of what repercussions would come from such a foolhardy act; I did not tolerate my underlings biting the hand that fed them. I took one last, long look at Jane, Alec, and Dmitri before turning to march toward the Special Collections Suite. The others wouldn't follow me here; they did not trust themselves around the seductive aroma of human blood the permeated the very atoms of this place. If they followed, they would surly fall upon every human within range as their bloodlust got the better of them.

I took several beep breaths, filling my lungs with the rich pungent air. I relished the fiery sting that racked my throat and forced me to wrestle to maintain my control; these were the things that, after four thousand years, continued to testify to my existence. Without the pain, the burning, and the growling desire of the fierce beast within me; I might think myself little more than a corps.

My sudden presence in the special collections suite startled the two human females who worked there. I smiled warmly at them in hopes to disarm their anxiety. After a few moments I noticed their heartbeats slowing back to normal. This was not a place that I frequented and so I understood their distress.

"Dr. Cullen was here earlier with a girl, did you happen to notice where they went?" I asked in the soothing voice that humans responded to best.

"Yes sir," the older one answered. "The doctor took the girl through there." She pointed to a back door which led, among other places, to the doctor's private apartment.

"Thank you," I bowed slightly as I spoke. "I will see to it that you are both generously rewarded for your assistance."

**0o0o0o0o0o0**

**Carlisle**

I sat in my favorite armchair by the fireplace with a book spread open across my lap. For the past hour and a half, I had been pretending to read but the real focus of my attention was the frail human girl asleep on my sofa. Lillian had cried herself to sleep in Esme's arms and neither of us had the heart to wake her. She was resting peacefully now, sprawled comfortable with her head resting in my wife's lap. I sighed as I tried once more to concentrate on the text before me.

"Why don't you put that silly book away," Esme insisted. "We both know you're not reading it. You don't need a ruse in order to stay and bask in Lillian's presence."

I chuckled softly as I closed the book and set on the table beside the chair. "My love, you have an uncanny knack of distilling the essence of every situation."

My wife's delicate face suddenly shifted from relaxed to concerned as I left my chair and came to sit on the arm of the sofa near her. "What is it, love?" I asked as I rubbed her back gently.

"She's so young, Carlisle . . . only seventeen." Esme's voice was tight with emotion; her maternal instincts were coming to life again in the presence of a child in need. "She shouldn't be here; she should be at home, with her family. Can't you do something?"

"What would you have me do, my love?" I asked sadly. "She knows what we are. The penalty for escape is death. The only possible choice for her now is to live out the remainder of her life here in the Colony." I paused and then added, "It's unfair, I agree, but unless you want to see her killed there is no other recourse."

I watched as my wife continued to stroke Lillian's soft dark hair; she was upset by my answer and that fact broke my heart. In truth, I shared her sentiments, but the reality of this situation couldn't be altered.

"When did you change, Carlisle?" she asked in the barest of whispers. "When did you trade your lion's mane for a mouse's tail?"

Her question shocked me, but more than that . . . it hurt me, because it illuminated my darkened and despaired reality with the bright light of truth. Before I could formulate a response, a gentle knock came at our door. I knew in an instant just who it was, his scent curling under the door sweep was unmistakable. Silently I cursed as I crossed the room and answered the knock.

"Ah, friend Carlisle," Aro greeted me as I opened the door and stepped back. "I am sorry for the sudden intrusion, but . . ."

I cut off the remainder of his sugar coated deception by bringing a finger to my lips and shushing him. The sudden rumble of his voice caused Lilly's breathing pattern to change and she moaned in her sleep.

"Please, Lillian is sleeping," I whispered as I pointed towards the sofa where she lay, "I don't wish to rouse her yet, she's quite exhausted."

"Is she ill?" a concerned scowl rumpled Aro's usually placid features. I watched him as he walked over to where Lilly lay; assessing her with his own judicious eyes.

"No," I admitted honestly. "But it's obvious by the heavy bags under her eyes and the ease with which she succumb to sleep, that she isn't resting well at night."

"I see," he muttered as he continued to watch his new prize. "And what can you do to correct this?"

Esme and I shared a brief knowing look before I turned my attention back to Aro. "I would hate for our continued conversation to wake the child," I insisted softly, "Perhaps we should take this to my study."

Once we were in the closed confines of my private study Aro continued his earlier inquisition. "Proper sleep is important for humans, what can be done for her?"

My back was turned to him and I remained silent for the span of several seconds. All the while I couldn't tear my eyes away from the lion in the family crest on my father's ring nor could I banish Esme's words from my mind. I fidgeted with the bauble as indecision made me think and rethink what I knew I needed to say.

"She's underage, Aro, did you know that?" I growled when I couldn't stand the silence any longer. "She shouldn't be here; she should be at home with her family going to school, playing softball with her friends, listing to the latest pop music, and riding horses. She should be looking forward to the rest of her life, not facing a truncated existence cooped up in here like an animal at a zoo." I ran one trembling hand through my golden locks as I sighed, "I set the minimum age for inductees at twenty three for a reason Aro; if you have no intention of following my guidelines then let Esme and I go home and you can run this abysmal hellhole yourself!"

Silence consumed the space again as my voice stopped ringing. I'd been a mouse for so long now; this feeble excuse for a demand was the best I could muster. I would do better in the future I promised as my eye caught sight of the ring again.

I heard Aro sigh and then take a breath in preparation to speak. "I knew when I touched her in the Induction Room that she was only seventeen, but what you have me do, my friend . . . it was either continue the induction process or destroy her." There was an oddly disarming honesty to his statement.

"She's a child Aro, and children have certain _needs_ . . . as a six time father and a grandfather; I should know." I grunted as I shook myself loose from the spell of his honesty. "Are you prepared to meet those needs? Are you prepared to be a parent to her? That's what she needs right now, she craves it as surely as you crave her blood; the unconditional love and guidance that only a parent can give."

For a long moment, he didn't answer me, but when he finally did, I was disgusted by his cold dismissal and avoidance of my question. "When she wakes, you will please escort her back to her quarters. Assure her that she is not in any trouble what so ever for spending that afternoon here with you and your wife. Also, convey to her for me how pleased I am with her regarding her first collection and that I will reward her tonight when I come by to visit her."


	6. Chapter 6

**Note: I do not own or have rights to Twilight or its characters!**

**Chapter 6**

**Lillian**

"_Lilly, wake up." _

The muffled words had a hard time drilling their way into my dreamscape. I was on my Uncle Clem's shrimp trawler helping pull in nets and we had just hauled a pirate's chest up with the latest catch.

"_Come now child, it's time to wake up."_ The muffled voice insisted again. Suddenly the deck of the shrimp boat began to pitch back and forth and I was nearly thrown overboard. I grabbed a hold of the wet nets to steady myself, but my side crashed painfully into the guard rail.

I tumbled from the pleasant arms of the dream world and landed rather abruptly back in my abysmal reality. My eyes flew open suddenly as my body shot up from where I was laying. My breaths came in a series of short ragged gulps and I felt very much disoriented. A pair of firm yet reassuring hand caught me by the shoulders, pressing me back against the soft surface where I had been resting. Then his kind face filled my vision, a sad yet warm smile curling his lips.

"Relax Lilly," he soothed. "It's alright, your safe."

The events of earlier that day came back to me as I allowed Dr. Cullen to comfort me. I had my first collection and then, I came back to his apartment and met his wife over lunch. We talked for a while until I fell asleep in Esme's arms.

"How long have I been asleep?" I asked groggily.

"A while," he replied. "You seemed quite exhausted so we let you rest. Dinner will arrive at your quarters soon and that's Aro's favorite time to visit his stock. We should get you home now."

Three thoughts raced through my mind, one right behind the other; home . . . Aro . . . Jane. The last thought caused me to struggle off the couch in a panicked rush, I'd forgotten all about Jane and her orders; I was supposed to meet her in the lobby of the Collection Center when my turn was over. I could only imagine what new level of pain she would all too gladly introduce me to. I practically tripped over myself getting up.

"Easy now, child" Carlisle soothed. He caught me before I could hit my head on the coffee table. "We're not in that much of a hurry."

"You don't understand," I replied as I managed to free myself from his hold. "Jane told me to wait for her near the entrance of the Collection Center when my turn was over. She's gona be so mad . . ."

"Settle down, no one is angry with you," the doctor interrupted my anxious rant. His calm words and relaxed demeanor were instantly infectious, causing me take a deep breath and stop trembling. "It would seem that news of your missed rendezvous made its way to Aro's ear. He came by here earlier while you were sleeping in search of you." Now that I was steady on my feet, he began leading me towards the door. "I am to inform you, on his behalf, that he is not angry, you are not in any trouble, he is quite pleased with you, and that he is looking forward to his visit with you later this evening."

I let out a sigh of relief as the remainder of the tension fell from my body. I knew Carlisle wouldn't lie to me: Aro must truly have told him those things. Still I had my reservations about Jane; that little witch enjoyed inflicting pain just a little too much. I didn't doubt she would find some sick reason to punish me behind Aro's back.

The doctor and his wife escorted me through the maze of corridors that led to my apartment. Unlike Jane or Heidi who never spoke to me or only grunted harsh commands as I struggled to keep up with them, Carlisle talked to me as we strolled at an unhurried pace through the hallways. He acted the part of the casual tour guide, pointing out the works of art by famous painters and sculptures that lined corridors and he made comments about the historical significant of certain parts of the palace. It was like being on a European vacation with a favorite Uncle.

We stopped at a small alcove where Carlisle pointed out a pair of finely sculpted cherubs fawning over a lamb. It was precious and the rendering looked so real that I thought the cherubs would fly away and the lamb would leap down at any second and scamper off down the hall. I was mesmerized.

"Magnificent, isn't it?" he asked as he noticed my enchantment.

I could only nod dumbly.

"Are you familiar with Bernini?"

"He sculpted, _The__Ecstasy of St Teresa_, didn't he?" I muttered.

"That's very good, you know your art history." Pride resonated in his voice as he spoke, but his gaze remained fixed on the statue. "If memory serves me, I believe the piece is titled: _Harmony of Spring_. Aro commissioned it from Master Bernini about the same time as he was working on The Ecstasy."

"It looks so life like, I want to crawl up there and play with the lamb myself."

Carlisle chuckled at my remarks, but it was a dark sound that made me shiver.

"I shall tell you the story behind this piece and perhaps that will discourage you from your desire to play with it." He sighed heavily as he finally managed to force his eyes away from the sculpture. "Throughout his reign as ruler of the vampire world, Aro has always had more than his share of enemies. One day a certain enemy of his was brought before him in the Volturi court for judgment. As per the laws that govern us, he was sentenced to destruction. Aro had him dismembered and the pieces burned . . . all except one that is, he saved the male vampire's massive torso.

"This Aro took to Master Bernini. He told the artist that it had once been a part of a wonderful sculpture of the Greek god, Zeus, but that the sculpture had been broken beyond repair. So he wished to salvage the largest fragment of the fine old marble by having the Master make something glorious out of it.

"And that is how Master Bernini came to sculpt the torso of a vampire into a pair of cherubs playing with a lamb."

"Did he know what he was working with," I whispered as I looked with new eyes upon the statue, "Bernini, I mean?"

"Of course not," Carlisle replied sadly. "But Aro once told me that Bernini commented that it was the finest marble he had ever worked."

I found myself swallowing hard as my gaze turned back to the sculpture. I still found it amazingly beautiful, enchanting even, but my admiration was tempered with a healthy dose of revulsion. I had passed this way every time someone escorted me to and from the commons and I had noticed this innocent little work before, but I would never look at it the same way again.

"Are there others like it," I inquired as he ushered us on towards my apartment, "You know, made from the same, material?"

"A few," he answered absently. Then he turned to look down at me and an odd expression twisted his face. "Aro doesn't turn all of his enemies into works of art; in fact the vast majority of them are simply burned to ashes. It is only the rare few who garner his respect in such a fashion that he whishes some part of them to remain here in the palace for eternity."

"How many," I asked as we arrived at my door. I watched as he swiped the key card and ushered Esme and I inside.

"The larger works dotting the palace are all made of the finest marble, as are most of the smaller ones," he answered as he and Esme went to my small kitchenette to prepare me a light snack. "Begin to take notice of the smaller works as you pass them. Really look at them, and in time you'll figure out which ones are made of ordinary marble and which are carved from _living stone_. Those wrought from the latter material will, like the Bernini, have a certain unmistakable quality to them."

Esme place my plate on the table and Carlisle drew out my chair. Then the honey eyed doctor turned and smiled broadly at me. "Now, my dear, can we find a less morbid topic to discuss over your afternoon snack?"

**Aro**

I was sure, by now, that Lillian was back in her quarters. I was surprised, but not angry, to find her in Carlisle's apartment. As we made our way to his study, I managed to brush his arm lightly; I don't think he even noticed my touch. The events of the afternoon buzzed quickly through my mind. It would seem Lillian needed someone to talk to about her inability to settle in to her new life. Carlisle had given her some gentle yet sage advice as well as offering to be her sounding board in the future. I had every hope that this turn of events would be helpful to her.

It was now the middle of the dinner hour for the human residents of The Colony. I strolled along the wide colonnade of my private wing; as I passed each door, I listened to the sounds coming from behind them. Some of them I would visit later this evening and some I would not. I had them on a rotating schedule that permitted me to see each one personally at least twice a week. New arrivals, like my precious Lilly, I saw more often.

My thoughts were quickly consumed by Lillian and the corners of my mouth turned up in a wide smile. Earlier, after leaving Carlisle's apartment, I returned to my office to find her first collection waiting for me on my desk. Tasting her once more had been a repeat performance of her sampling from two weeks earlier; an addictive combination of agony and ecstasy. The experience put me in unusually good humor and I began to sing the words to _Toreador_ from the opera _Carmen,_ as I approached Lillian's door.

I knocked lightly while continuing to sing. When she opened the door to greet me, I favored her with a bright smile. Before me, I pushed a serving cart bearing the four course dinner I had ordered from the Head Chef especially for her. My lusty serenade continued as I parked the cart in the dining area and then lit the two candles that graced the center of her small dining table. I then pulled out the chair like the perfect gentleman and waited for her to take her seat. I never missed a word as I worked and my commanding baritone voice was perfectly on pitch; I was magnificent if I did say so myself.

A broad grin infected Lillian's face and I could tell she was trying very hard not to burst out laughing; it was exactly the reaction I was hoping for. After a few moments she relaxed enough and sat down. I pushed her chair in gently and proceeded to serve her the first course of her meal. I allowed the aria to die from my lips slowly as I poured her a glass of sparkling grape juice; as Carlisle pointed out earlier, she was under age and therefore too young to drink wine.

As I took my own seat opposite her at the table, Lillian continued to gawk at me with a goofy grin on her face. I allowed my eyes and expression to ask her what the matter was.

"Aren't you going to sing for me anymore?" she asked a bit awkwardly. "I really enjoyed that and you have the most amazing voice."

"Thank you, my pet," I replied with a slight nod. "Perhaps I will sing for you again another time. You should feel privileged as, ordinarily, I only sing form my mate."

She looked from her plate, to the cart waiting a few feet away and then, back to me. I watched her take up her fork and begin picking at her salad; another question was bubbling in the depths of her lovely eyes. I did not press her on the issue, she would ask it soon enough.

"What's all this about anyway?" she inquired finally as I removed her salad plate when she was done with it and put the next course before her. "You sometime join me at dinner time to talk, but this," she shook her head in baffled amazement. "I don't understand."

"Did Carlisle not give you my message?" I inquired casually as I refilled her glass with more juice. "Did he not tell you how pleased I am with you concerning your first collection?"

She nodded as she took a tentative spoon full of soup.

"Today, you submitted yourself to my service by going to your scheduled collection," I replied as I sat back in my chair, "This pleases me very greatly, and so tonight I, in turn, submit myself in your service; by bringing you a very special meal and waiting on you while you eat it."

Her face screwed into an ever deepening mask of confusion that I found quite endearing. I had to work at repressing a chuckle of amusement. "I will not always do this sort of thing after your collections, of course, but tonight is very special." I reached into my jacket pocket then and pulled out an orange plastic keycard which I laid it on the table near her soup bowl. "I've been waiting for two weeks to present that to you; you have finally earned it."

She dropped her gaze to the bowl in front of her and her confused scowl became a guilty frown. I was just a tad bit concerned now.

"Is something wrong, my pet?" I purred softly.

She slowly pushed the keycard back towards me. "Maybe you should keep that. I didn't actually submit; didn't Jane tell you."

I reached nonchalantly for the card but brushed her hand with my fingertips instead. The entire afternoon exploded in my mind with absolute clarity. I saw her defiant behavior that earned her a swift and painful reprimand from Jane. I also read her thoughts on the matter; it was not an experience she wished to repeat anytime soon. I pulled my hand away but left the keycard in her possession.

"I think we can overlook that little indiscretion, my pet." I soothed gently. "Now, are you ready for the next course?" I went to the cart to retrieve it. "After dinner, I want to take you on a brief tour of the facility . . . I noticed Carlisle has already taken you on the Museum Circuit."

When I returned to the table she still looked bemused, but at least after reading her thoughts, I understood why. She was having trouble reconciling the Aro that sang operatic choruses to her while smiling and serving her dinner with the Aro who laid down the laws of The Colony to her, and sternly scolded her and suspended her privileges for her outbursts. She couldn't separate the sadistic Aro who had his vanquished enemies tuned into works of sculpture to adorn the palace from the mild mannered Aro who chatted warmly with her during her evening meals.

I sighed as I resumed my seat and watched her eat. I had tried to show her the gentler side of myself the first day we meet; the benevolent master, the generous benefactor who wanted nothing more than for his pets to be happy in return for a little of their essence twice a month. Unfortunately, that meeting and our subsequent encounters had ended with her being disrespectful and violent towards me forcing me to display my wrath rather than my warmth.

"_She's a child Aro, and children have certain needs . . . Are you prepared to meet those needs? Are you prepared to be a parent to her? That's what she needs right now; she craves it as surely as you crave her blood. Lillian needs the unconditional love and guidance that only a parent can give."_

Carlisle's words from our conversation earlier echoed through my mind. Perhaps he was right, perhaps I should try not to be her keeper or benefactor, but rather I should strive to be a father to her instead. I knew how to be a leader within my coven, I knew how to maintain order in the vampire world, and I knew how to be a husband and a mate, but I wasn't entirely sure I was qualified to be _a father_ . . . and a human father at that. Still I had the benefit of my friend Carlisle's memories regarding the matter as well as a few foggy ones from my own distant past. I would certainly try, if that's what Lillian really needed.

I knew only two things for certain at the moment, I mused as I watched her finish off the main course of her meal. Firstly, this transition would have to be taken slowly, for both our sakes. To rush into this new arrangement too rapidly would only serve to confuse Lillian further, and it would prove stress full for me as well. Secondly, I was going to have to consult Carlisle, regularly, regarding the particulars of parenthood . . . at least until I had the hang of things.

**AN: Bernini is my favorite Renaissance sculptor, his work is so fluid that it looks as though it really is alive . . . made from living stone, just like SM describes Edward and the others. There is a piece by him, the infant Jupiter with an amazing nanny goat, that I was thinking about when I described the cherubs and lamb.**


	7. Chapter 7

**Note:** _I do not own or have rights to Twilight or its characters!_

**Chapter 7**

**Aro**

My delightful evening with Lillian ended after I gave her the grand tour of the Commons. As I escorted her back to her apartment I made sure to stop and show her where to find the small library that I had built on my personal wing. As an avid reader myself, I thought it only fair to provide quality reading material for my stock. Caius thought it was a bad idea to encourage such things among the stock as he felt it would encourage free thinking and therefore insurrection, but I did not share his views. I installed the library around the same time that Carlisle joined us, and I had not experienced any rise in escape attempts or sedition among my pets.

For the first time since her arrival Lillian didn't pelt small desk furnishings at me or hurl ugly obscenities my way during my visit. Our time together ended pleasantly with me bidding her goodnight; I was very encouraged by the turn of events, perhaps I was finally earning her trust.

Upon returning to my residence, I spent the small hours of the morning entertaining my mate; after all, I did owe it to her as our blissful afternoon had been so rudely interrupted. We both enjoyed a healthy desire for passion and our intimate encounters could be as intensely emotional as they were highly physical. In fact, I long ago lost count of the number of times I'd had to replace the bedroom furniture.

This night, we were lucky as the heavy oak bed frame managed to survive our rancorous exploits. We now lay perfectly spent and wrapped contentedly in one another's arms. Sulpicia purred happily into my chest; I adored that sound. My eyes drifted closed as I listened to the soothing rumble that emanated from deep in my mate's lovely throat. For some odd reason, Lillian's face chose that moment to illuminate my mind's eye; my contented smile broadened and I sighed.

"Are you board, my love?" Sulpicia hummed as she snuggled suggestively beside me. "I'm sure I could think of a few activities that would prove very entertaining . . . for both of us."

I found myself laughing. "I'm sure you could, beloved," I answered her warmly, "But, in answer to your question, no I am not board, just . . . contemplative."

She looked up then and I admired, for the millionth time since our marriage, the stunning beauty of her face; she was even more beautiful in the afterglow of our lovemaking. "What are you contemplating?" she asked in the teasing tone that always sent a fiery rush through my body. I felt my stomach muscles clinch as my desire began to stir anew.

Lillian's smiling face danced through my mind again and I pushed my lustful thoughts aside to focus on the subject at hand. "Sulpicia, I know you have been in this life nearly as long as I, and that you accept both its benefits as well as its limitations, but I was wondering . . . back when you were still human . . . did you ever consider . . . motherhood?"

"Aro, you know my thoughts and you've read my memories . . . why are you asking me this?" There was pain in her voice as she answered and I frowned.

Sadly, it was the desire of most female vampires to have the one thing that they could never posses . . . a child. This was, almost universally, a sore point among our kind and I rarely brought up the painful subject with Sulpicia.

"My love, you know that I try not to intrude on your thoughts when I touch you." I gently pushed an unruly strand of dark hair away from her face as I spoke. If I was very deliberate in my efforts, I could touch my mate without having her thoughts cascade through me. It had taken years of practice to achieve this, but the benefit was a deeper sense of trust between us.

She snuggled back into my side and her head returned to its resting place on my shoulder. I allowed my hand to stroke her back tenderly as I awaited her reply. She would answer me, just as soon as she'd managed to gather her thoughts, and I would wait patiently for that answer.

After some time I heard her inhale deeply and I knew her reply was emanate. "Drop the veil you use to shield my thoughts from your gift, there's something I want you to see."

"Are you sure, beloved? You know, this isn't necessary." These days I entered her thoughts by invitation only, but I preferred not to do it at all.

"I know love, but it's the only way for you to really understand," she sighed. "I have the memory I want you to see and feel at the forefront of my mind . . . I'm ready when you are."

I turned and pressed a tender kiss into her hair, just above her delicate ear, and then I dispensed with the barrier I'd erected to protect her thoughts. The memory seeped slowly into my mind. It was one of her few remaining human memories, and, by the clarity of it, I would say it was one that she cherished. The setting was a family gathering of some sort; a since of profound joy suffused Sulpicia's mind. It took a moment for me to realize that I had seen this memory before . . . when I turned her. I had shamelessly perused her mind while she endured the transformation; I was quite the scoundrel in my youth.

"Pay attention Aro," my mate chided lightly. Over the centuries she learned to tell when I was being inattentive during my rare strolls through her subconscious.

I refocused myself on what my mate wished me to see. The memory in question was the birth of her sister's first child and, at the time, Sulpicia was about thirteen. I watched from the viewpoint of Sulpicia's eyes as her sister's first born son was placed lovingly into her young arms. That's when the tidal wave of raw emotion slammed into me with unbridled force.

Her sentiments regarding the events I was now privileged to view through her were as fresh as they had been the day they occurred. It took me several moments worth of effort to rise above the swirling tide and begin to pick the tangled web of her feeling apart. There was the joy, of course, and happiness for her sister whom she loved dearly. Excitement also mingled heavily with her other emotions as she was looking forward to all the aspect of having the new baby around and to being an Aunt.

Then the memory shifted and I was now looking through my mate's eyes right down into the angelic face of the infant that slept peacefully in her arms. Suddenly I was overcome and I couldn't breathe. My throat went tight with a powerful and yet heretofore unnamed emotion. It was a combination of all the things I'd sensed in her before, along with something even more intense . . . longing. Sulpicia saw in the innocent face of her sister's child a glimpse into the possibilities of her own future; a husband, a home, and . . . children of her own.

I withdrew from my mate's mind and hastily through the barrier back up between us. She was curled against my side sobbing tearlessly; tonight my beautiful mate had share with me the deepest and most desperate longings of her heart. I wrapped her tenderly in my arms, shushing her softly between each velvet kiss that I planted on her alabaster face.

When she was somewhat calmer, I decided to broach the subject of Lillian and my intentions towards her. I wasn't exactly sure how my beloved would react; earlier this afternoon she seemed a bit jealous in spite of denying this feeling. I was hopeful, given the deep desires that she just shared with me, that she would be receptive to my intentions and perhaps even join with me in helping to raise Lillian. Carlisle did say 'parents' after all and in the human world that implied both a mother and a father.

"My love, do you remember our discussion from this afternoon concerning Lillian?" I inquired gently.

"Changing the subject, Aro . . _. really_ . . . after I just poured my soul out to you." She huffed as she struggled to free herself from my embrace.

"I am not changing the subject," I insisted as I allowed her to leave my side. She moved to sit on the edge of the bed; instantly I missed her comforting presence beside me.

She laughed dryly, "What does your current infatuation with your newly acquired and unruly pet have to do with my feelings? What does it have to do with the children I can never conceive or the family I will never have?"

"Everything," I whispered as I gently pulled her back towards me. "That is, if you're willing to hear me out."

Her eyes locked with mine and for several moments she just glared at me. "I'm listening," she finally sighed, "But this better be good."

"Lillian is under age," I began, "Considerably under age. It was an oversight on Heidi's part but one I knew about the moment I touched her in the induction room." I paused to see what she would say but she remained silent so I continued. "Carlisle confronted me with this fact earlier this afternoon and he made some very valid points during our conversation . . . points which I have been pondering over for much of the evening."

"If Caius and Marcus find out she's 'considerably under age' there's going to be trouble with a capitol T," she grumped, "Especially considering the fact that you stole her right out from under their noses . . . literally."

"I'm already devising ways to deal with those two," I assured her; the faintest growl resonated in my voice. "They will learn to keep those meddlesome _noses_ of theirs out of my private affairs once and for all."

Sulpicia was purring again, she loved it when I talked that way. Seeing me openly flaunt my position and power as leader of the Volturi, hearing the unmatched and unquestionable ring of supreme authority in my voice was my mate's ultimate turn on. She gave me _the look_ and I knew what we would be doing later; I could only hope that the bed frame continued to survive. For now we went on with our present conversation.

"I still don't see how this situation has anything to do with my feelings about maternity."

I sighed; this is where things would get interesting. "Well, Carlisle advised, and rightly so I might add, that Lillian is still but a child. He also insisted that as such, she had certain . . . needs." I paused and chanced a glance at Sulpicia; she gave me the 'go on' look. "He insisted that what Lillian needed most . . . and I quote, '_she craves it as surely as you crave her blood' . . . _is the love and guidance of parents."

A warm smile curled her lips then and the hurt disappeared from her eyes. "You're going to let Esme and Carlisle adopt her . . . that's so sweet of you Aro. I know how much they miss their family and I think this will be good for them."

I shook my head even as the sudden sting of regret buried its fiery barb deep in my long dead heart. I knew Carlisle miss his family in the worst possible way. If I thought I could count on him to return to The Colony of his own accord, I would have long ago allowed him a visit home.

"I wish to attempt this myself, Sulpicia," I whispered softly as I sought and held her gaze. "I want to become a father to her."

My mate's eyes widened with shock but she didn't look away from me. "Aro, that's unheard of . . . how would you manage to do such a thing . . . does she also desire your _paternity_?"

"I do not know if she wishes it or not, but it is my intention none the less," I affirmed. "As to how I will do this . . . I am not sure. I know that I must ease myself into this role in her life; it cannot be rushed or forced. I plan to consult Carlisle on the matter later today as I'm sure he can give me some very valuable insight." I took my mate's hand in mine as I paused. Absently I began brushing the back of her knuckles with my thumb, "Sulpicia, I was hoping that you would . . . well, Carlisle did say 'parents' and, well I was wondering if perhaps you would consider . . . joining me in my endeavor. Could you find it within you to accept Lillian as a daughter?"

She remained silent, her shock filled crimson eyes firmly fixed on me. It was difficult to read what she might be thinking based on her expression and I was sorely tempted to take a peek inside her mind. Instead I waited for my mates shock induced catatonic state to wear off.

When she finally spoke her voice was low; it wasn't sad but it had an unusal quality to it that I had never heard before. "Before I commit to anything, I'd like an opportunity to meet Lillian," she insisted. "And please know that, no matter what I decide, I will not interfere in your plans nor will I make this known to the other Volturi. You are my mate, first and foremost, and what is discussed between us is privileged information."

"Of course," I replied before bringing her hand to my lips, "I will arrange some means by which you can acquaint yourself with Lillian. I'm sure you will adore her." I kissed her hand then, pouring as much passion into the gesture as I could. "I thank you, my beloved, not only for your candor in this matter, but also for your understanding and your discretion with regards to the rest of the Volturi."

**AN: This little chapter should leave you asking more questions than it answers. Isn't Blue wicked ;)~**


	8. Chapter 8

**_Note: I do not qwn or have rights to Twilight or its characters!_**

_You would have gotten this earlier today, but I spent the day at Six Flags with my kids. My wonderful sons convinced me to ride the Georgia Cyclone; the oldest continually operated wooden coaster in the park. I will NEVER do that again! I have now ridden a roller coaster and I can scratch that experience off my bucket list._

_To those of you who like coasters . . . More power to you!_

_PS: I had an awsome day with my kids!_

Chapter 8

**Lillian**

It was the first morning of my, 'freedom', so to speak. I woke up when the holographic window in my bedroom began to glow with the imitation light of dawn. Once I was showered and dressed, I decided to take the long awaited and much anticipated trip outside my cloister. In preparation for my adventure, I put some items into a small backpack that I found in the bottom of my closet. I decided to take the fine moleskin journal I'd discovered in my nightstand drawer as well as a couple of pencils, a bottle of water, and of course, my brand new orange key card.

Before pushing the card into the pocket of my jeans, I examined it; I hadn't really looked at it much the night before. The front of the card bore my name with a four digit number at the end as well as a raised impression of the brand that graced my upper arm. The back was blank except for a magnetic strip: these were the only marks on it. Aro told me that it acted as a key as well as a sort of debit card to use at the shops in the Commons. He provided me with an allotment of points each month; "think of it as your allowance," he told me fondly.

I left my apartment and ventured out into the wide world beyond my front door. It was only seven thirty in the morning and I wondered how many others were up at this hour; the corridor around me was as still as a cemetery. I ambled up the hall at the same unhurried pace that Carlisle, Esme, and I had walked at the day before; it was my intention to take breakfast at a little coffee shop I noticed on my tour with Aro the previous evening.

As I rounded the corner, I found myself passing the Bernini. In spite of knowing its grizzly history, I still found it striking. There was a bench nearby so I availed myself of it and pulled out the journal and a pencil from my bag. I wasn't much of a writer, but I had a voracious appetite for drawing. I figured the journal would make a halfway decent sketchbook. I began my rendering of the lamb and cherubs and soon I was deep in the trance like state that only the act of drawing could cast upon me.

I wasn't sure how long I sat there working, but I was roused from my peaceful state by the sound of voices and footsteps moving in my direction. I looked up to find a group of my fellow residents coming from Aro's private wing. As they passed, I put away my belongings and followed them. I stayed well back from the little gaggle, not wanting to get too close because I really didn't want them to notice me.

In the Commons I made a bee line for the coffee shop and, as soon as I had a mug of hot chocolate and a croissant in my possession, I found a secluded bistro table where I could enjoy it. I wasn't surprised to discover that the hot coco and the light fluffy pastry were the best I'd ever had. It seemed that Aro spared no expense on his 'pets'. I ate slowly, savoring both the meal and my new freedom.

After I finished my breakfast, I continued to sit in my chosen spot and watch the milling crowd of people for a time. The sketchbook came out again and I completed a few of quick studies of unsuspecting passersby. When I couldn't sit still anymore, I packed up again and began to stroll, following the flow of the crowd.

The Commons was built, as my benefactor had pointed out with pride, to mimic the architectural style of a classical Italian piazza or plaza; a feature common to every city and town in Italy. The grand space incorporated an odd combination of elements being part gathering and social area for the human residents as well as part shopping mall, food court, carnival midway, and amusement park.

The most eye-catching feature of the enormous open space was its central fountain. Aro told me during our tour that it was a copy of the one that graced the Piazza Navona in Rome. If fact, throughout our evening together he never referred to this space as the Commons Area, instead he used the term Piazza exclusively. I stopped by the fountain for a few minutes, enjoying the soothing sound of the falling water.

The tranquil gurgling almost made me forget just where I was; almost but not quite . . . I was still just another cow on Old McAro's farm. I allowed myself a cynical snicker, but it only served to make the lonely confused ach in my chest hurt worse. Everyone around me seemed to be enjoying themselves as they gathered to socialize, eat, and entertain themselves; laughter and talking filled the air to become a sort of music.

How could they be so happy? The dull eyed human cattle that mingled all around me seemed contented to be placated and amused. So what was my problem, I wondered as I walked along, why wasn't I contented? Why did I appear to be the only one who could see through the well crafted deception?

I weaved my way through the crowd seeking some means to distract myself and ease my growing sense of depression. After wandering for a time I decided to do a little shopping, it seemed to be everyone else's panacea. My fellow humans buzzed all around me, coming and going from the many shops and boutiques that lined the piazza. The faint swooshing sound of swiping plastic could be heard emanating from every open shop door as key cards were tendered for each purchase; it was a shop till you drop marathon taken to a whole new level.

I decided to go into one of the stores, a book monger's, in search of smoothing to read. The variety of material he had to offer was limited. He carried a large selection of magazines, everything from Better Homes and Gardens to Hustler, and he stocked a few major news papers as well. As for books, well he had only two shelves of them in the back of his shop and I saw nothing among their titles that interested me. What I was looking for was more substantial . . . I wanted something classical and stimulating and he had nothing to please me.

I next tried a music store and soon found that that they didn't actually sell the CD's they stocked on the shelves. With the purchase of an MP3 player from the shop, you received one free download of an album of your choice. They only sold two very basic models of player and the price of the cheaper one would have consumed my whole allotment of points for the month. I enjoyed music, especially the classical works of Vivaldi, Bach, and Mozart; if I wanted a device I would have to save up and buy one later.

I was also surprised to find that all music downloads that you purchased, were put on your device for you right there in the store. Then I remember the warning I received on my first day about internet access; it was forbidden. It was no wonder then that two burly red eyed vampire guards kept watch over each and every transaction.

I left the music store and found a new table to sit at; it was right across from the Commons Area's very own four screen Cinema. Why these poor souls would pay seven points to see a movie that they could watch in their rooms on the satellite TV for free was beyond me.

Next door to the Cinema, our benevolent keepers provided a more provocative form of entertainment in the form of a casino. From my vantage point I could look directly into the wide open front doors. The sound of the bells, buzzers, and the constant clattering of coins from slot machines filtered out to thrum in my ears. It seemed to be a popular place with my fellow residents as a constant stream of people came and went from the establishment.

A few doors down from the casino, two gruff looking male vampires stood guard outside a pair of plain black double doors. Mostly human men came and went from those doors and the name on the front read; The Pompeii Club. Even being as naïve as I was, I had a pretty good idea of what went on in there.

I pulled out my sketchbook again and started doodling; I was defiantly going to check out the library Aro pointed out last night. I loved to draw and could occupy myself endlessly with the activity, but I needed a good book in the worst way. When my stomach began to grumble again I decided to look for lunch and with that in mind, I made my way back towards the central fountain where I'd spotted a sandwich shop.

"Lilly," a bright female voice called my name and I turned to find Dr. Cullen's caramel haired wife walking towards me. "How are you feeling this morning Dear, better I hope?"

"Yes, Thank you," I replied. "I really appreciate what you and Carlisle did for me yesterday."

"Don't give it a second thought dear, it was our pleasure." Before she could say more, my stomach grumbled loudly. "Haven't you had lunch yet," she giggled, "It's nearly two in the afternoon."

I shook my head, suddenly I felt very embarrassed.

"Then let me buy you lunch," she insisted warmly. "What would you like?"

"Oh, no . . . I don't want to . . ."

"Nonsense," she cut me off gently. "You're hungry, now what will you have? I've heard that the Chinese place over there is quite good." She pointed across the plaza to a little shop with a smiling Buddha in bright yellow neon over the entrance.

"I was going to have a sandwich," Chinese was my favorite restraint fare, but for some reason, in spite of my growling stomach, I just didn't feel like eating much.

Esme glared at me and I instantly dropped my gaze. "I knew it. After the way you devoured your food in the apartment yesterday, I knew you weren't eating well. What did you have for breakfast this morning?" When I hesitated with my answer she added, "You _did_ _have_ breakfast didn't you?"

I nodded demurely, I hadn't felt this way since the last time my Grandma Brandon scolded me for tracking mud all over her freshly mopped floors. "A croissant and some hot coco," I answered shyly.

I watched her shoulders droop as she shook her head and sighed. "Oh, Lilly," she groaned softly. "Honey, hot coco and a croissant followed by a sandwich some six hours later does not constitute a well balance human diet. If Carlisle were here, he would tell you the same thing."

"Did I hear someone mention my name in conversation?" We both turned to find Carlisle approaching us at a casual pace. His hands were stuffed into the pockets of his kaki dress pants and a broad warm smile was plastered on his face. When he was beside his wife he pulled her into a one-armed hug and kissed her forehead. "Now, what was that I heard about Carlisle and my saying something if I were here?"

"Lilly isn't eating properly . . . I told you that yesterday," Esme insisted.

Carlisle turned his honey gold gaze in my direction; his pleasant smile had been replaced by a look of professional concern. He stepped away from his wife and I suddenly found myself the subject of an impromptu medical exam. He tilted my chin up with one hand and used the thumb of the other one to pull down the lower lid of my left eye. After a few moments of examining my eyes he moved on.

"Open please," he instructed gently. I knew from past experiences with doctors that he meant I should open my mouth. I complied and the good doctor peered intently into the gaping chasm. "Very good, you can close now."

His fingers then moved to gently palpate the space under my jaw. I tried to read his features, but found myself unable to. The next thing he did was take one of my hands into his. He feathered his thumb lightly over the back of my knuckles before proceeding to scrutinize my finger nails. When his eyes meet mine again, the warm smile was once more upon his lips. He released my hand only in order to wrap one arm around my shoulders; the other he draped around Esme waist.

"Where was it that you intended to buy lunch for our young friend, my love?" he asked casually.

"I had suggested Chinese." She replied brightly.

"Splendid," Carlisle chirped and we began moving towards the glowing neon Buddha. "The owner is a personal friend of mine."

Once we were seated at a small corner table and the waitress left us alone to consider the menu, Carlisle reached across the table and took my hand once more in his.

"I'm not going to lecture you Lilly," he began in a warm yet serious tone, "You strike me as a very intelligent young lady and so I believe that an ear drubbing would only be a waste of my time and energy. I do, however, need to explain a few _realities_ to you.

"When you submit to your collections, you are providing sustenance to Aro with the very essence of your body. Think of the mother who suckles her infant; she feeds her child with the food of her own flesh . . . and so it is with you. In order to produce the richest milk for her child while maintaining her own good health, the nursing mother must nourish herself with the best possible diet. If she does not, she will grow week and ill and eventually her milk supply will fail.

"In this situation, you are no different . . . but for one major exception; if you become ill and your health fails due to malnutrition then you will be of no further use to Aro. I suppose you can guess what that will mean."

"He'll get rid of me." I muttered sadly.

Carlisle squeezed my hand apologetically but held off on his reply as the waitress returned to take my order. I was suddenly embarrassed as I hadn't even bothered to look at the menu.

"Would you allow me to do the honors?" the doctor asked warmly; I must have looked worse than I thought. Unable to speak I simply nodded.

Carlisle and the waitress began conversing in a language that I couldn't understand but recognized as being oriental. At the conversation's conclusion the waitress bowed and then disappeared. I suddenly realized that I had no idea what the doctor had ordered for me. When he looked at me again he chuckled and shook his head; was I that pathetic?

It wasn't too long before my food arrived; it looked like enough to feed a small village. "I'm really not that hungry," I complained shyly when Esme began putting generous helpings of steamed rice and a delicious smelling mixture of meat, veggies, and sauce on my plate. She stopped at my protest and turned to her husband; with a wordless nod he urged her to resume her serving.

"Yes, you are hungry," the doctor insisted as he poured steaming, floral scented, green tea into a cup for me, "Your body is starving, Lilly. It's your mind and your emotions that are telling you otherwise. You don't have to eat every scrap of food on the table, but I want you to eat well . . . you need the nutrients."

"In fact," Esme purred as she put my plate before me, "Why don't you start coming by the Infirmary around noon every day. I enjoy cooking very much, but I don't have anyone to appreciate my kitchen creations . . . I would love to make lunch for you."

"That sounds like a capitol idea my love," Carlisle agreed. "Unless Aro has other plans for her, Lilly will have lunch with us every day in the Infirmary . . . it will give us a chance to use the break room for something besides storage."

It was happening again, I mused as I listened to Carlisle and Esme planning tomorrow's menu . . . my life was being hijacked once more. I continued to ponder as I shoveled the first fork full of delicious veggies into my mouth; at least this time it was being rerouted by two of the nicest people I'd ever meet and they really did care about my well being.

I was so caught up in my thoughts as I ate that I didn't realize when I finished the last of the food on my plate. I looked up the find two beaming sets of golden eyes watching me; both Carlisle and Esme wore delighted smiles.

"Did you enjoy that, my dear?" Carlisle asked sounding very triumphant.

"Yes," I replied as I wiped my mouth on the linen napkin. "But what was it; you ordered it in some foreign language that I can't speak. How will I ever order it myself?"

Carlisle laughed and it was the most wonderful sound I'd ever heard. "The language was Cantonese, but you don't need to learn it . . . just order the #23 special."

I gave him a suspicious glare before picking up the menu from the table. I glanced down the long column of numbers until I found number 23; the dish was named _Golden Eyed Phoenix_. When I looked back at Carlisle, he flashed his charming smile my way and then winked at me.

_**AN: I grew up on a steady diet of classical Disney animation. The entire time I was describing the Commons Area, I was thinking about the Pleasure Island sequence from Pinocchio. In fact, Lilly is quite convinced that the entire population of the Colony will turn into a bunch of braying jackasses someday.**_

_**Yes, the #23 special is named in honor of Carlisle. **_


	9. Chapter 9

**Note:I do not own or have right to Twilight or its characters!**

**I started this chapter while I was writing ch8 as they were going to be part of the same chapter. I decided that was just too much for one posting so you get this now. I included a few short Italian phrases, and no I don't speak the language. I used Dictionary(dot) com which has a translator,. So if you speak Italian and it's wrong, please don't chew me out. Thanks! ;)~**

**Enjoy!**

**Chapter 9**

**Aro**

It was inevitable within the vampire world that small disputes over territory and such eventually erupted into full scale war fare. This was the current situation in Paris, as its four resident covens battled of territory. The three larger covens were indiscriminately creating armies of newborns for this purpose. Marcus, Caius, and I spent the morning discussing this matter in depth. One of the warring covens, the smallest among them, had the foresight to send a represenitive to our court. The young male made a very impressive argument on his coven leader's behalf.

The discussion took up most of the morning ending with a warning to the young represinitive of Paris' smallest coven; if you wish to avoid destruction, get out before the guard arrives.

With that matter settled, I turned the vastness of my mind to other things. I returned to my office, selected a pint of blood from my private reserve, and stated my agonizing thirst. Of course, as I enjoyed the soothing elixir, my eye cast upon _Lillian's Goblet_ and I smiled. It would be another two weeks before I could taste her again and I could hardly wait.

I took a deep breath and sighed, Lillian's innocent face danced in my mind and I recalled our encounter the day before. Ordinarily I tried to maintain a certain measure of personal distance between myself and my pets, while at the same time affording them enough attention to make them feel cared for. It was a delicate balance and one that took effort. To be a proper father to Lillian, I was going to have to get closer, emotionally, to her than I had to any human I'd ever known. I found this prospect both frightening and exhilarating.

In order to get closer to her, I needed to get to know her more intimately . . . I needed to understand the subtle nuances of her personality. To that end, I decided to look in on her . . . in an unofficial capacity, of course. I left my office and headed for the Piazza Volturi, otherwise known among the rest of the Colony's population as the Commons Area. She would be there; she had her key and her freedom.

I knew a lot about Lillian; I was intimately aware of her thoughts and memories, but I still felt like a stranger to her. I knew for example that her favorite color was purple, and that she liked Classical music to Pop and Rock. She liked to read and preferred the more substantial, weighty, and time tested works of classical western literature to what she considered the 'fluff' of contemporary writers. If given the choice between staying home and watching TV or spending the day exploring the inlets and estuaries near her gulf coast home she would chose the latter. She loved animals, especially horses. Her favorite actor was Antonio Banderas because she thought his accent was hot . . . I paused, dismissing the rest of the rapid torrent of information from my head. I could go on and on, but I would still feel as if I didn't know her at all . . . and I most certainly didn't know her well enough to call myself her father.

Quietly, I let myself out onto the grand balcony overlooking the Piazza. I smiled as I observed the massive open space below; it was a triumph of architectural engineering. When it was designed, I envisioned a grand Piazza like those in Rome and of course the one in Volterra, to fill this space. I missed the old palace in Volterra, but the Colony complex was entirely too large and conspicuous to be built there. To that end I bought a small rather remote island in the Aegean and move this aspect of my operations out here. We still maintained a strong presence in the old city; newborns and those not trustworthy in extreme close proximity to humans had to be housed someplace.

I moved along the cat-walk high above the plaza. My acute predatory eyes scanned the crowd as they milled and mingled completely unaware of my presence. There were too many humans gathered in the Commons to pick out Lillian's individual scent from the mass human smell the drifted up to fill my nose. Just what I hoped to truly accomplish through this exercise in espionage I couldn't say.

After what seemed like an eternity, I spotted her coming out of The Golden Buddha restaurant with Carlisle and Esme. Yes, I recalled that Lillian liked Chinese food; I would have to take her there myself sometime. When the doctor and his lovely wife parted company with her, she ambled towards the fountain and took a seat on a bench. I decided to pay her a casual visit and headed for the stairwell that would take me to the plaza floor.

By the time I made my way to the fountain, Lillian was gone. While it wasn't an easy feat for me given the potpourri of human scents in the Piazza, I managed to catch and follow her delightful scent. I soon realized that she was making her way back to her apartment. My poor daughter must be tired after her long day in the Piazza.

My feet kept moving, but my mind ground to a screeching halt as the words '_my poor daughter'_ echoed inside my skull. It was the first time I actually referred to her in my internal monologue in that regard. I felt a strange mixture of emotions including shock and intense pride.

A smile lightened both my lips as well as my steps. As I approached the Bernini, Lillian's scent became stronger; she must have lingered here briefly. I was quickly noticing that my little girl love art, and that this sculpture was a favorite of hers. It would likely surprise her that this piece was one of my favorites as well.

"Leave me alone!" Lillian's distressed cry echoed in my ears. The shout came from further up the corridor and around the next corner.

As I launched myself forward, I took a deep breath trying to discern what the commotion was about. I quickly detected the scent of three human males and of course my daughter's personal aroma as well; the later was tented with bitter back notes of fear. An angry growl rumbled in my throat as I rounded the corner. I stood shrouded in shadows, far enough up the hall that no one noticed me.

The three young males ringed Lillian in a loose semicircle; her back was pressed tight against the wall. Strong protective feelings surged within me and suddenly I was literally seeing red. They were threatening my little one and I wanted to kill all three of them right then and there. I didn't care who they belong to. The civilizing affect of keeping humans as domesticated stock had done nothing to blunt my predatory edge; I still knew how to behave like the dangerous predator that I was.

"What's the matter baby, aren't we good enough for you?" the tall red haired young man sneered, his two companions laughed at the remark.

"I just want to go back to my apartment, ok," Lillian insisted."I'm not feeling well."

"Awh, she's not feeling well Frank," the short blond whined mockingly. "Maybe we should let her go . . . NOT!"

They all thought this was very funny; all but Lillian that is, she began to weep. That was all I could stand; I had seen a multitude of humans in tears before . . . I'd even had them beg me for their lives, but this was different. Lillian's weeping struck me in a place deep in the core of my being that I never knew existed. I rolled out of my hiding place with all the ominous presence of an approaching category five hurricane.

"Would somebody care to explain to me just _what the hell_ is going on here?" I demanded in a voice that was peppered with anger and rippling with unquestioned authority.

My verbal assault had the desired effect on the three young men, causing them to stop their antics and turn to face me. Unfortunately it also sent Lillian deeper into a panicked state. Her weeping became sobbing and the thrum of her heart coupled with the shift in her scent attested to her increased fear.

I was at a loss; I needed to calm and comfort Lillian but at the same time I was enraged and I desperately wanted to lay into these three pathetic urchins. "Lillian," I called softly, "You need to calm down, my precious; you are not in trouble."

My words had little effect on her and my rage was slowly devouring my control. If I decided to make an example out of one of these three by killing one of them, I didn't want my daughter present to witness it. I pushed my growing bloodlust as far aside as I could and turned up the intensity of my natural lure.

"Come to me, my precious," I cooed in a tone that would ordinarily have any human I desired tripping over themselves to obey me. Lillian however remained firmly rooted in place and plastered to the wall. I decided to try again, if she didn't come this time, then I would have to go to her instead. "Please come here to me, _il mio fiore_, Aro is not angry with you."

I gave my words and my allure a few seconds to work their magic on her. I was pleased with the results as Lillian made a few tentative steps in my direction. She stopped short, however, when she drew near to Frank. This caused my pleasant smile to become a frown. I silently glared daggers at the repugnant human male and he wisely got the meaning of my stair. He retreated several steps to the left, giving Lillian a wide gap through which to pass. I opened my arms to her then, and she closed the space between us and collapsed like a rag doll into my waiting embrace.

I held her gently, being ever mindful of her frail human body. She was sobbing into the front of my tailored Armani suit. I hated seeing her in tears and I felt completely helpless. I had no idea what I should do in order to abate her tears. Suddenly one of Carlisle's memories fluttered to the surface of my consciousness; Bella was upset over an argument that she'd had with her natural father. Carlisle was holding his then very human daughter in his arms in much the same way that I now held Lillian. He rested his cheek against the top of her head as he stroked her long silky hair with his free hand, and all the while he spoke soothingly to her.

I decided to try this. I pulled Lillian in a bit closer to me, rested my cheek on the top of her head, and began to pet her long mahogany tresses. Instantly her scent accosted my senses and inflamed my thirst until it felt as though a bonfire was raging in my throat. Venom pooled in my mouth and I swallowed it; I needed to calm her quickly because I suddenly realized that I couldn't safely hold her like this for very long. To that end I began to mutter to her softly in Italian . . . I couldn't manage to think coherently in English at that moment.

To my stunned surprise the combination of tender touch and soothing words worked like a charm. She began to calm down as her breathing slowed and her sobbing tapered off. When I judged that she was past the worst of it I decided to dismiss her; there was no need for her to be present during the ugliness that was about to ensue.

I held my breath and kissed her hair before releasing her. "Go on to your apartment now, _la mia cara_. Take a nice hot bath and then have yourself a little nap . . . I'll be by to look in on you later."

She looked up at me with wide, frightened eyes. I hated to see fear where laughter ought to be, but what did I honestly expect. While I tried to show her only my kind benevolent side, today she had the regrettable misfortune to witness me in all my dark and unholy glory. I could only hope that two weeks' worth of trust had not been lost altogether.

I continued to watch her as she retreated down the hall towards my private wing. When she rounded the next corner, I kept my ears focused on her until I was sure she was well out of earshot. Then I turned the force of my wrath lose on the three miscreants before me. I didn't give them time to think; they had been witness to tender loving Aro . . . now they would see the wrath of vengeful Aro.

"Well, gentlemen . . . and I use that term in its loosest possible interpretation . . . I will ask you again_; what the hell is going on here?"_

"We just wanted to talk to her," Frank shrugged. He was trying to put on a brave face in front of his friends, but I knew better. My inhuman hearing easily detected the hint of fear in his voice; the stench of it in his scent tickled my nose and made my mouth water. "It's not our fault she took our friendly gesture the wrong way and freaked out."

"Is that right," I inquired of the other two. "Were you nice boys trying to be friendly when suddenly my poor Lillian just . . .'freaked out'."

They didn't say anything, but both of them nodded dumbly. I cast a sideways glance at Frank; an ever so faint smile graced his lips. The sight of it stoked the flames of my ire to a fever pitch. I leapt at him, catching him by the throat with my right hand and slamming him against the wall with bone jarring force. His face was already changing colors as my cast iron grip restricted the flow of blood and oxygen.

The moment my hand touched his filthy flesh, the entire course of events exploded in my mind. Lillian was on her way to her apartment, when the three vermin spotted her near the Bernini. Undoubtedly she had stopped there this morning to draw for a time. That was when she first caught Frank's attention. They had been watching her all day and planning their little ambush. The shear depravity of the things that Frank wished to do to my daughter sickened even my intractable stomach. Couched in the most polite of terms, he intended to have his way with her and much, much more.

"Do you know what I'm going to do to you Frank?" I hissed the question between gritted teeth. He was barely able to shake his head. "First I'm going to snap you neck; it is a small mercy that I am sorely tempted to deny you, but I will be generous. Then I'm going to pop you open like a soda can and drink every drop of your essence. When you are empty, I'm going to stake your body out on the rocks near the sea shore for the gulls to enjoy." I paused as I took hold of his head in preparation to deliver the killing blow, but then I decided to add one final disturbing comment to keep him company in the afterlife. "Incidentally, they usually pick out the eyes first, before moving on to other _delicate parts,_" I whispered in his ear as my knee found his groin.

"Aro, let him go!"

I turned on my heels but kept hold of my prey. Carlisle and Esme were racing towards me with Alec and Jane in tow.

"Let him go Aro . . . NOW!" Carlisle insisted in the sternest tone I'd ever heard him use.

I glanced back at the filthy human still dangling from my hand; he was only just conscious and still whimpering from the gorging I'd given him with my knee. "Do you have any idea what this piece of human garbage was going to do to my Lillian?" I sneered back hotly, "If you could only see want he had planned for her Carlisle . . . it would make even your passivist venom boil!"

"Be that as it may, Aro," Marcus' voice filled the hall as he lumbered towards us, where the old tortoise had materialized from was a mystery to me. "There are rules in place to deal with these situations . . . you cannot simply declare yourself judge, jury, and executioner." Then he motioned to Jane and Alec. "Take what's left of the prisoner from Aro please Alec; and help Carlisle get him to the Infirmary. I would like to see him survive to stand trial. Jane, if you would please my dear, escort these other two to a holding cell."

_**AN:**_

_**According to the translator bot;**_

_**il mio fiore = my flower**_

_**la mia cara = my dear one**_


	10. Chapter 10

**Note: **_I do not own or have rights to Twilight or its characters!_

**Chapter 10**

**Aro:**

I found myself in the awkward position of being questioned regarding my attack on the pathetic human, Frank. After Alec relieved me of my prey, he and Carlisle spirited the disgusting piece of human rubbish off to the Infirmary. Jane took his cohorts away to be locked up securely until the incidents of the afternoon could be sorted out. I now sat in the antechamber adjacent to the throne room being grilled like a side of beef concerning my violent outburst.

Needless to say, I was more than a little annoyed. While Marcus interrogated me, Caius sat quietly in his chair watching me; an arrogant smirk seemed permanently plastered to his lips. Every tine I glanced his way it stirred my anger anew and I wanted to vault from my seat and rip his head form his shoulders. He was enjoying my humiliation and discomfort far more than was tolerable.

"You still haven't satisfied my question Aro," Marcus whined. The old tortoise was beginning to wear on my nerves with his incessant questions. I had already related the entire courses of events, three times, and we were working our way through a fourth. I had better things to do with my time than ride an endless merry-go-round of questions with my brothers.

"I have answered all you questions, Marcus." I insisted politely. How much longer I could continue keeping a civil tongue in my mouth remained to be seen. "In fact I've answered them more than once. It's not my fault that your fossilized brain can't wrap itself around my answers and make sense of them. Perhaps you should take a few hours and retreat inside your carapace to ruminate . . . I'm sure everything will become clear to you then." Oh well, I mused, so much for my civil tongue.

Marcus glared at me and I noticed a distinct trace of hurt in his ancient crimson eyes. I suppose I should have felt guilty for mocking him, but I didn't. "If you're finished gentlemen, I have business to attend to." I grumped as I started to get up from my seat.

My real intention, of course, was to look in on Lillian. Try as I might, I couldn't shake my last image of her innocent face, awash in fear, from my mind. I needed to see how she was fairing in the wake of her traumatic encounter.

"I don't think were done yet Aro," those were the first words to tumble from Caius' mouth since this little meeting began. I allowed my incendiary gaze to fall upon my viper of a brother with the crushing force of a blacksmith's hammer. To my disdain, Caius didn't even flinch; instead he continued to speak in his nonchalant tone. "We've heard your side of things, now I think it's high time we got the story from the main participants in this little drama."

"According to Carlisle," Marcus began with a sigh, "Frank will not be in any condition to talk for at least a week." My brother turned his unrelenting eyes to rest upon me and I found myself shuddering. "Thanks to someone's uncontrolled temper, the pathetic human male has considerable injuries to his throat and vocal cords."

"If you and Carlisle had given me a moment longer," I snapped back, "Your sensitive conscious wouldn't be troubled by the extent of Frank's injuries." Had they arrived on the scene just a few seconds later, I would have stated both my thirst and my wrath on the urchin of a human. Marcus chose to ignore my comment; an act that only served to feed my simmering anger.

"I wasn't referring to Frank," Caius hummed contentedly when Marcus remained silent. "I was suggesting that we question your deliciously tempting pet. After all, from what I hear, she's quite the little miscreant and she's been giving you no end of trouble. Her first two weeks here were spent on lockdown, if my sources are to be believed, and she only earned her key card and freedom yesterday evening."

I managed to repress a low threatening growl; I found it highly irritating that Caius knew so much about my private affairs. Yes, Lillian had given me quite a lot of trouble, but she wasn't the first to do so. All three of us had, at one time or another selected a new inductee to add to their personal stables that possessed a willful streak. We each had our own way of dealing with such individuals. Caius was the most inflexible and intolerant of strong willed behavior and he tended to deal very harshly with it. Marcus, on the other hand was the polar opposite; he was slow to anger, quick to forgive insolent behavior, and generally very lenient.

Personally, I liked challenging pets; they forced me to invent creative new ways to break them of their willful habits . . . and in Lillian's case, she forced me to view her in ways I never imagined possible. The words "my daughter" from my internal dialogue earlier in the day danced with renewed vigor through my mind. A host of new and very confusing emotions boiled up from the core of my being and surged like venom through ever cell of my body. Chief among these feelings was a strong desire to protect Lillian from my brothers and any other threat that might arise.

"The hour grows late," I replied in my usual velvety smooth tone. I was attempting to sound reasonable as I tried to postpone the inevitable, "Why don't we adjourn these proceedings until morning? Then you can question Lillian while she's fresh and well rested."

"And after you've had an opportunity to coach her," Caius spat back.

Mentally I cursed my viper of a brother for managing to see through my rouse. I desperately wanted a chance to explain the investigation process to her before she was unceremoniously hauled into the throne room. I could only imagine how frightened she would be if brought before my brothers unprepared.

"Caius has a point Aro," Marcus insisted calmly. "While I agree that the girl is likely still in shock due to these distressing events, I feel it might be better if we question her now. Human memory is ephemeral and easily subject to manipulation, if we want the truth then we should have it before the shifting sands of Lillian's human mind alter things."

"Or before Aro's silver tongue has a chance to work its magic on her perception of reality," Caius added smugly. This time I did not repress my growl, instead I allowed it to reverberate like the tolling of a cathedral bell through the small room.

Caius' smirk broadened at my display of irritation, Marcus only glared at me with disappointment in his eyes. "Jane, fetch the girl please and escort her to the throne room," Marcus instructed with a sigh. "And do try not to scare the poor child to death in the process."

0o0o0o0o

**Lillian:**

The clock on the wall in the dining area read 6:27 pm. I huddled in a tight ball on the couch waiting for Thulsa Doom to slither through my door. Hours had passed since Frank and his little pack of hyenas cornered me in the hall, but still Aro hadn't showed up to 'look in on me'. When he suddenly materialized out of the very walls of the corridor to break things up, the ominous look on his face had me scared to death. I couldn't help but remember his warning regarding the Third Cardinal Rule; _trouble makers, agitators, those who would encourage insurrection, or those who repeatedly disrupt the public peace are __**eliminated.**_

I was all too aware of where I fell within that hierarchy; since my arrival here, I did my level best to goad him. My stubborn spirit made me a troublemaker and I had taken great delight in disrupting Aro's peace. Unfortunately, my talk with Carlisle and his wife yesterday came two weeks to late to save me from my fate. While I still wasn't thrilled with the notion of being a dairy cow on Old Mc Aro's farm, being _a live cow_ sure beat the hell out of being hamburger. I was willing to give peaceful coexistence a try, but then Frank had to ruin everything. Aro was going to eliminate me for sure . . . I'd bitten the hand that fed me one time too many.

There was a light knock at the front door that caused my breath to catch. As the door slowly opened, I realized that I was holding my breath. To my surprise, it was Jane and not Aro who entered my apartment; maybe he didn't even deem me worth killing himself.

"On your feet," she ordered with a hint of a smile lighting her red eyes. "You're wanted in the throne room."

My mind went numb; I couldn't comprehend what was happening. I expected to die tonight, but I wasn't expecting a public execution . . . had I really messed up that badly? Tears stung my eyes and threatened to spill down my cheeks, but I choked then down, I wasn't about to give Fembot Jane the pleasure of seeing me cry.

I got up with as much dignity as I could muster and followed the little witch into the hall; I didn't want to afford her the opportunity to use her gift on me again. She kept her usual crisp pace as led my through the maze of halls and I stumbled along behind her like a lost puppy. Finally we stopped in front of a rather ordinary looking door that didn't seem like it would belong to a throne room.

"Marcus has graciously deiced to allow you a few moments alone with Aro before your interview," she chirped contentedly as she opened the door for me. A wickedly twisted smile curled her lips, "It's a supervised visitation of course." Then she ushered me into the room.

I stepped through the doorway and found Aro, _my owner_, waiting for me. He stood in the center of the space with his hands behind his back. While I was sure that he intended his posture to convey a relaxed air, his eyes betrayed his concern. In fact, there was something almost odd about the way he looked at me; I noticed it during dinner last night as he served me each and every course.

"Come my pet," His tone was formal as he directed me to one of the three wingback chairs the occupied the space in front of the hearth. "There are a few things I must explain to you and I have very little time in which to do this."

"I know I broke the rules," I stuttered as I sat down. "For once, I was trying not to . . . for once I was trying to behave myself."

"Is that what you think; that you are here because you are in trouble?"

I nodded.

"Then it is a very good thing that I have this time to explain things." He sighed as he cast a nervous glance at Jane who stood quietly in the far corner. "My brothers, Marcus and Caius, wish an opportunity to question you regarding the events of this afternoon. This is an interview Lillian, not an interrogation . . . I want to make that very clear."

I could feel the tension drain away from my body as relief washed through me. Aro must have noticed my reaction as he gave me a questioning look. "Are you well, my pet . . . did Frank hurt you and you neglected to mention this?"

"No, it's just that I thought . . ." I stopped in mid sentence and looked over at our chaperone. I really didn't relish saying this in front of the little blond witch because I had a feeling she would use it against me later. "I thought I was being brought here to die."

"To die!" Aro exclaimed as he turned to glare at Jane. "What did you say to her; you were told not to frighten her."

"I only said that she was wanted in the throne room," Jane replied coldly. I could tell by the slight smirk that twisted her too perfect lips that she enjoyed the revelation of my discomfort.

Before he could reply to Jane's comment, the room's second door opened and I recognized Alec's face as it appeared through the gap. "They're ready for you," he informed us before disappearing and closing the door behind him.

Aro stood and offered me his hand, "Let's get this over with my precious; when they have satisfied their incessant curiosity, them I will take you to dinner."

At least he didn't say that I would _be dinner_ I thought as I took his hand and allowed him to help me up.


	11. Chapter 11

**Note:**_ I do not own or have rights to Twilight or its characters!_

_Ok gang, this is going to have to be everyone's Blueroan fix for a while. I have three tests comming up between now and next week friday as well as a major lab report to write for CVA. I know, I love writing for you all, but school comes first._

_FYI: I was asked what CVA is and I supose I should spell that out-Comparitive Vertebrate Anatomy. A long a** name for a 3000 level biology course that deals with the evolution of vertebrate traits, their form, and function ... and how traits in one group might or might not be related to simular traits in another group. _

_Enjoy!_

**Chapter 11**

**Lillian:**

Aro led me to the center of the circular throne room. On a dais about twenty feet in front of me stood three evenly spaced high-backed black lacquer chairs. The two end seats were occupied, but the one in the middle, which I assumed to belong to my owner, was empty. Before leaving me to stand alone in the room's epicenter, Aro gave my hand a firm squeeze. I guessed the gesture was meant to reassure me, but it fell miserably short of the mark. I straighten a little and tried to haul my courage up out of my sneakers as I watched him take his seat.

It was only after he was settled that I noticed Carlisle standing just to the left of the dais. He flashed a brief smile my way and inclined his head ever so slightly. Why he was here I didn't know, but I found his presence very comforting. At least I had one friendly face on my side . . . for all the good that it would do me.

From the chair to my left, a tall sad eyed figure arose. He was much, much older in appearance than Aro and, compared to the platinum blond vampire in the third chair, he looked to be even older than Moses. His gnarled face and sad crimson eyes seemed to mirror the great fatigue that I read in his posture as he walked slowly towards me. However old he was, it would seem that neither Father Time nor the fickle hand of fate had been kind to him. Suddenly I felt just a little sorry for the ancient being that stood before me.

"I am Marcus," he introduced himself, bowing slightly. "And seated to Aro's left, that is Caius; together we make up the Volturi."

I nodded but said nothing; I really wasn't sure what I should say.

"Did Aro explain to you why you are here?" he asked quietly. His voice seemed as exhausted as he looked; as if the simple act of speaking was entirely too much trouble.

My eyes found Aro and then they shifted to Carlisle; both males gave me reassuring nods as a silent encouragement for me to speak. "Yes," I replied shyly. Only when I spoke did I notice how uneven my breathing was and how hard my heart was thumping in my chest.

"Ordinarily, Aro does the questioning here in court, but because you belong to him, that would be . . . unseemly." He announced rather formally and I realized that his words were a matter of protocol. "So, at Aro's request, I will do the questioning. Are you agreeable to this?"

His gaze fell heavily upon me and I knew that a verbal answer was required. "Yes, I am agreeable." Not that it would have made any difference if I wasn't.

"Earlier today you were involved in an incident," he sighed deeply as he spoke, "according to Aro, he found you surrounded by three men who seemed to be menacing you. Why don't you tell us how you came to be in that predicament?"

"And tell the truth," the platinum blond vampire hisses. "It will go very badly for you if you're caught lying."

My eyes locked briefly with the one called Caius. I found the expression on his face and the tone of his voice very unsettling; it was as if he would like nothing better than to eat me alive. The palpable waves of malice that wafted off of him caused me to shudder.

"You may begin when you're ready." The tired sound of Marcus' voice forced me to look away from Caius.

"Where should I start," I asked trying to keep my voice level and not squeak like a frightened mouse. "Do you want to know everything from the moment I woke up this morning?"

"Mind your tongue girl!" Caius barked as he stood to his feet. "Your haughty tone and disrespectful attitude will not be tolerated here!"

"Be silent Caius," Marcus corrected in a soft yet stern tone. "The girl is not being disrespectful; her question is valid." Then he turned to me and answered in a breathy sigh, "We are aware that you had lunch with Carlisle and his mate at the Golden Buddha restaurant. Why don't you begin with what took place when you parted company."

"Well, after I said good-by to Dr. Cullen and his wife, I strolled over to the Plaza's central fountain . . ." I began relating my story as calmly and rationally as I could manage. I told them about how, after watching the soothing waters of the fountain I found myself feeling sleepy and I decided to go back to my apartment for a nap. "As I was walking, I stopped at the Bernini . . . to admire it." I glanced briefly at Carlisle as I recalled the story he told me about the piece, "He is one of my favorite artist," I admitted shyly.

"Get to the point girl," Caius demanded curtly, "The Court of the Volturi has better things to do that listen to your yammering."

"Patients Caius," Marcus crooned, "Allow the girl to have her say. We have no other pressing business at the moment." Then he looked directly at me and a faint smile tried to invade his lips, "Please continue child."

I swallow hard, taking a moment to muster up my courage. As if his continued outbursts weren't unsettling enough, Caius kept his searing gaze firmly fixed on me. The way he glared at me was absolutely unnerving; his unrelenting stair made me wish for the deepest darkest hole available so that I could crawl into it just to escape.

"While I was admiring the Bernini," I began again. By now, my mouth had gone dry and my tongue felt thick and sluggish. "I kept feeling as though I was being watched. I tried to ignore it because it was silly, but then I heard a noise and it scared me. I started walking fast back towards my apartment and then . . ." I paused and tried to wallow up enough spit to moisten my parched tongue but couldn't. "Could I please have a glass of water?" I asked.

"Certainly," Carlisle answered and I watched him make for the door Aro and I entered through. When he returned moments later, he brought me a glass of cool soothing liquid. "Sip it slowly," he instructed as he placed the glass in my hand.

"She's stalling," Caius griped. "Only the guilty stall. I wouldn't be surprised if the little whore instigated the entire event . . . led Frank and his friends into believing . . ."

"She's not stalling, Caius," Carlisle interrupted the hateful blond male with a snarl. "Her heart is pounding frantically in her chest," he wrapped his gentle yet icy hand around my wrist, "her blood pressure is through the roof, her mouth is dry, and she's in the throes of a cold sweat . . . all symptoms indicative of a human in extreme duress."

"Duress brought on by the fact that she's been caught in the act," Caius countered, "and the hand of Volturi Justices is about to . . ."

The main doors to the throne room suddenly opened and two female vampires made a hasty yet very dignified entrance. One of them I instantly recognized and her presence in the room caused a new wave of relief to wash over me; Esme came to stand beside her mate.

The other female I had never seen before, but her appearance had me totally mesmerized. Up until now, Esme was the most beautiful woman I'd ever laid eyes on, with the grace and stunning appearance of a movie star or a super model. This woman, however, was much more . . . she was a goddess come to earth. In fact, it dawned on me in that instant, that I had seen her face before; it adorned my grandmother's favorite cameo broach . . . Helen of Troy, the face that launched a thousand ships.

"Sulpicia, my love," Aro purred as he rose from his chair. "To what do we own the pleasure of your presence?"

"Am I no longer welcomed in the court of the Volturi," she asked innocently. "Are the Volturi wives no longer co-regents with their husbands?"

"Of course not, beloved," Aro soothed as he moved to join his wife, "But this incident is a minor one, I didn't feel that it warranted your attention."

Sulpicia turned to me then and I felt the weight of her judicious crimson eyes as she appraised me. "Esme informed me that you and your council of inquisitors were racking some hapless girl over the coals concerning her resent assault by three men. Of course I took an interest; we females must stick together in the face of adversity . . . no matter what species we might belong to." Sulpicia afforded me a small smile before turning her attention to Caius. "What was that you were saying about the hand of Volturi Justice?"

The sudden presence of the two women in the throne room made Caius' expression turn from malignant to sour; he looked more displeased than a cat caught outside in a pouring rain. He readjusted himself in his seat several times and seemed thoroughly unprepared and unwilling to answer the question presented to him.

"Well," Sulpicia prodded as she and her mate walked hand in hand towards the dais.

"I was saying that Aro's unruly little pet was likely the instigator of this sorted affair," he grumbled. "And that it is high time the hand of Volturi justice deals with her accordingly."

"And why would you believe that she is responsible for the advent of her own attack?" Esme asked. "Has she confessed to such?"

"Of course not," Caius sneered. "The guilty never willingly confess. Females, especially human females, are known to incite the passions of men and then leave them in the lurch. They are, by their very presence, incendiary . . . bringing out the baser desires in men and when those men make advances towards them they scream foul and rape and make all manner of accusations."

"Caius, how dare you!" Sulpicia snapped angrily. The color of her eyes deepened until they were nearly black and rage mixed with hurt clouded her face. "Are you insinuating that I was the instigator of my own rape?" her tone was as cold and sharp as a knife. When Caius tried to answer, she cut him off. "As the soldiers of Rome marched towards our village, Mother shut me away in the cellar. When the finished killing the men and looting; they took to satisfying their fleshly hungers on the women. They found me in my hiding place and hauled me up the stairs. My mother and grandmother already lay dead on the floor; slaughter like pigs.

"They took me, all five of them, one at a time for hours and then they left me there to die . . . they didn't even have the decency to slit my throat. Look at me Caius," she demanded and when he finally met her gaze she continued. "Look me in the eye and tell me that I was the instigator, that _**I**_ inflamed _their_ passions, that my very presence was the cause of my own assault. Look at me and tell me, to my face, that it was my fault!"

The room was plunged into a deathly silence as Sulpicia's words hung heavy in the still air. No one dared to move and I found myself unconsciously holding my breath. Finally it was Marcus who broke the thick silence.

"I think that's enough drama for one evening," he groaned. "It seems clear to me that Lillian was minding her own business when Frank and his fellows accosted her. Let us adjourn this matter until such time as the rest of the participants are able to give an accounting."

Things broke up very quickly. I watched Caius storm from the throne room in a huff. I was certain I hadn't heard the last of him. He hated me and I didn't know why. Marcus drifted from the room, seeming even more exhausted than before this all began. For some reason I still felt deeply sorry for him and as I watched him exit, I made a mental note to ask Carlisle and Esme about why he looked so sad.

"Are you alright?" Carlisle's voice hummed in my ear. Until that moment I had forgotten he was still standing beside me.

I nodded, "are they always like this?"

"Sometimes it's much worse," he chuckled darkly.

After Marcus and Caius left the throne room, Aro and his mate made their way towards me; I was still mesmerized by Sulpicia's beauty.

"I'm sorry about all this Lillian," he apologized. "Caius has a nasty jealous streak."

"And an even nastier temper," Sulpicia added before smiling at me. "But not to worry, Aro and I know how to handle him."

Without warning my stomach grumbled rather loudly causing the four vampires around me to laugh. It was a bit embarrassing.

"Lillian has missed her dinner," Carlisle observed. "Esme and I will take her back to our apartment and fix her something," he offered cheerfully.

"No Carlisle," Sulpicia interrupted as the doctor was taking me by the arm, "Allow me. Aro talks so much about Lillian, I think I'd like an opportunity to get to know her better." Then she added, "And I'm actually a very good cook."

**AN: _Don't you just love girl power! And of course, Carlisle power, because it was his idea to send Esme to talk to Sulpicia._**


	12. Chapter 12

**Note: I do not own or Have rights to Twilight or its characters!**

**_Yeah, I'm finally back. What an insane semester! I kid you not, I had this one class (with my favorite Proff) that had me writing either a two page researched essay with at least three peer review journal articals as refferances OR a new draft for my section of my group paper every week. YIKES! It was like a little taste of grad school ... maybe I don't want my masters after all (HaHa) maybe I'll just get my BS in Biology and be happy. I know, I won't remember the pain after a summer off ... isn't the mind grand._**

**_Oh, before you read ... remember this story carries an "M" rating ~ and also that Aro and Sulpicia are MARRIED! I won't say more except . . . Enjoy!_**

**Chapter 12**

**Sulpicia**

Aro's new pet still seemed visibly shaken by her brush with the authority and majesty of the Volturi Court. I discreetly watched her as we made our way from the throne room back to our private apartments. The young female human made a distinct impression on me the very moment Esme and I entered the cavernous throne room. In spite of the fear that had her heart pounding in her chest like the wing beats of a humming bird, she stood tall before her inquisitors. Most impressive of all to me however, was that in spite of Caius' open disdain for her and his constant incendiary glare, Lillian stood unflinching before him? In all my many years of existence I had never seen a human stand so boldly before my brother-in-law's menacing presence. As I watched her now, walking between Aro and me, I couldn't help the small smile that curled the corners of my mouth.

"Welcome to our home," Aro's pleasant comments drew me from my musings and I watched as he opened one side of the massive double doors for our young guest.

As we entered, I couldn't help an amused giggle as the opulence of our private quarters made Lillian gasp. "Aro and I enjoy a taste for the finer things that the world has to offer," I explained lightly, "But please, we insist that you make yourself at home here."

"And don't be afraid to touch things or sit on the furniture," my mate added warmly, "most of it has been replaced on several occasions. You would be absolutely amazed at how rough vampires can be on home furnishings." A mischievous lilt played in Aro's voice as he spoke and when I looked his way a matching twinkle danced in his eyes.

Our guest wouldn't have noticed the suggestive nature of Aro's comment, but it sent a tingling shiver of desire shooting through my core. "_Not now"_, I mouthed silently in his direction as Lillian moved to inspect a painting that had once occupied the walls of the private apartments of King Louie XIV of France. Aro's response to my reprimand was a wicked grin and a wink.

A wave of Lillian's scent hit me then, and I suddenly found myself struggling to maintain my control. My mate's expression instantly went from licentious to concerned and I found him suddenly beside me. Compared to my husband and others of the Volturi, I spent far less time among the humans of the Colony; though I was by no means ashamed of my nature, I did not wish to disgrace myself by accident.

"Beloved," he whispered softly as his hand came to rest between my shoulders.

"I'll be fine," I insisted. Thirst burned like Greek fire in the back of my throat; poor Lillian had the most delectable scent of any human I'd ever encountered. In spite of not wishing to harm the unsuspecting child, I could not deny the strong pull of my bloodlust.

"Why don't we adjourn to the kitchen," I finally managed in a calm collected tone, "a fine meal does not prepare itself." Cooking would afford me the distraction I so desperately needed.

In the kitchen, I set Lillian to work washing and chopping vegetables. As I prepared the meat and put the water for pasta on to boil, I shot more than one glance in the direction of the kitchen table. Aro sat like a regal Lord in one of the simple straight backed wooden chairs; a look of extreme satisfaction graced his features as he watched Lillian and me cooking together. With the exception of the painful fire that burned unceasingly in my throat and the constant struggle to deny my desire to have Lillian's essence, I found our time together highly enjoyable.

"Why does he hate me?" the words tumbled unexpectedly from Lillian's lips at the dinner table.

"No one hates you Lillian," Aro dismissed in his most soothing tone. Our eyes locked; we both knew of whom Lillian spoke.

"Yeah, right," she sneered. "I'm no Einstein, but I know when people don't like me. If I knew what I did to cheese him off so much, I'd apologize or somethin'."

Aro and I exchanged glances again before he addressed our young guest. "Of course, you are referring to Caius." Lillian nodded and my mate sighed. "I assure you, his feelings of animosity are not the result of any transgression on your part. Our kind have a tendency to be a rather jealous lot," a sad smile turned up the corners of Aro's mouth, "Caius is a little put out because I took you into my stable without giving him the opportunity to voice a claim on you. He is angry _with me_ child, not with you."

"He looked like he wanted to tear me to shreds; it was scary standing there like that," she muttered before taking another bite.

I watched Aro frown and my heart went out to him, Lillian's happiness was obviously very important to him. Her continued ill ease over the day's events had my mate at a loss; though he took a very hands-on approach to his stock, he still found dealing with the nuisances of human emotions cumbersome.

"Caius can be dangerous, there is no doubt about that," I began gently, "he is not a creature to be trifled with. However, I can assure you that at no time, as you stood before the Court, were you ever in any immediate danger. Caius would not have dared to fall upon you during an official interview and with so many others present."

Lillian looked up at me and, for the first time, smiled at me. "Thank you," she replied softly, "for everything."

**0o0o0o**

I was busy with my needle point when Aro returned from escorting Lillian back to her quarters. As he settled himself on the sofa I put down my work; the wicked twinkle that lit his expression earlier was back making me giggle with delight. The silent invitation in his eyes compelled me to join him and I soon found myself snuggled into his side with one of his massive arms wrapped around me.

"So, what did you think?" he asked before planting a very distracting kiss behind my ear.

I tried to ignore his question by encouraging his amours advances; I deliberately placed the palm of his hand on my chest and encouraged him to explore. A chuckle rumbled deep in his throat as his hand did exactly what I wanted it too. I was like a match in Aro's hands; his touch never failed to set my passion ablaze.

"My beloved did not answer me," he cooed as his hand continued to stroke my body.

"She is charming," I purred as Aro's hand found its way under my blouse. "She's everything you said she was . . . and more."

"Then you like her?" it was his turn to purr as he kissed my neck tenderly.

"Yes," I muttered curtly. Aro was driving me insane with his touch and I really didn't wish to continue our conversation at the moment; we could talk later.

"Outstanding," he hummed and then, to demonstrate his pleasure, he rained a cascade of feather light kisses over my face and neck. "You will make a perfect mother for her."

Those last words were like ice water, instantly quenching the passion of the moment. I was off the sofa and across the room in the blinking of an eye. I liked Lillian well enough, but I had not yet consented to motherhood; even the ring of the word in my mind brought uncomfortable grief to my dead heart. Did he honestly think it would be such a simple thing for me?

"Beloved," he was behind me now, with his hands on my shoulders. "You seemed so happy this afternoon; it has been a long time since I witnessed such joy in your eyes and such a broad and genuine smile on your face . . ."

"Stop it Aro," I grumped as I shrugged off his hold. It was not a widely know fact, but a fully mature vampire in the prime of his power could easily turn the same natural allure use to bate humans against his fellow vampires. The power, when applied to our own kind, was a tool for manipulation of the will in negotiations, or a weapon to give an advantage in battle . . . or, in this case, it give my mate an edge in calming my ire.

I heard him sigh as he took three very deliberate steps backwards. "Very well, but will you please tell me what has you so upset. You said you liked her, and I felt the truth of those words . . ."

"I do like her," I cut him off. "I like her very much and that's part of the problem."

"What problem Sulpicia," he groaned. "I see no problem. You like Lillian, and I can assure you, from perusing her thoughts as she drifted off to sleep, that she likes you as well. Things could not be more perfect, I . . ."

"Quiet!"I demanded loudly, I couldn't gather my thoughts with Aro prattling on like an old woman. "Give me a moment," I whispered when he said nothing further.

"For centuries after I awakened to this life, a part of my heart loathed you for taking away the possibility of my ever becoming a mother."

"Exactly! All the more reason too . . ." He would have said more, but the murderous look I shot him instantly shut him up.

"I used to sit behind the Moroccan screen on my balcony and watch families with their children strolling the streets of the old city." I glanced his way to see if he seemed inclined to interrupt me again; I had another murderous look prepared for him if he dared. When he maintained his respectful silence I went on. "Before you band the practice of creating immortal children, I had seriously considered snatching one of the many unwanted little ones off the streets and turning them. Even after you band them and made the offense punishable by death, I still entertained the idea . . . my heart was that desperate to have a child of my own. The only thing that kept me from making an attempt was my love for you and the knowledge that my folly would cost both of us our lives."

"And now …" Aro began but paused before going further. When I didn't glare daggers at him he went on, "now you have an opportunity to fulfill that maternal desire. Lillian needs a mother and you have always wanted a child."

I sighed, for the most brilliant mind in the vampire world; sometimes my husband could be so irritatingly slow. He was so possessed of his own idea, so possessed of his own personal quest to give Lillian a family within the context of the Colony that he wasn't really listing to me.

"Yes Aro," I replied quietly, "And with her courage and spirit, I think Lillian would make an excellent addition to the ranks of the Volturi."

Where his expression had been alight with the joy of his grand vision just moments before I spoke, it was now a mask of severity. "You know as well as I do, Sulpicia that turning her is quite impossible. It was one of the founding rules that we set when we started the Colony; no human among the ranks of the stock can be changed. Were it not so, there is no telling how swollen the ranks of the Volturi might be by now. We would not be able to sustain ourselves."

"What is the average life span of a Colony member?" I asked bitterly. I hated it when he took such an authoritative tone with me; I was his mate and his equal not one of his underlings.

"Ten to fifteen years," he answered flatly, then his tone softened as he came to stand beside me, "But Lillian will be different my Beloved," he murmured insistently as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "We will take extra special care of her. Like good parents, we will give her everything she requires to thrive . . . and Carlisle will help us. We could even move her into our apartments and . . ."

"And how many extra years do you suppose that this special treatment of yours will afford her Aro?" I interrupted. "Perhaps instead of living to see her mid twenties, she will see her mid thirties. In either case, the reality is that the demands place upon her frail human body by giving her essence for your nourishment every two to three weeks will take its toll on her. In the end, no matter how much you love her, you will end up killing her.

"I could easily fall in love with this child, Aro. I can see myself developing a deep and profound relationship with her; she is a very sweet child. However, I refuse to open myself up to a relationship that I know will only end in excruciating and eternal pain."

The room fell silent and for a time we stood awkwardly just staring at each other. Finally, Aro took me in his arms and kissed the top of my head. "I understand my Beloved, and I respect your feelings regarding this matter. I will not pressure you further for assistance with Lillian."

"Oh, Aro," I sighed into his chest; he was taking this the wrong way. "I like her . . . I really do. She reminds me of my little sister, Rhea . . . what I can remember of her anyway." I heard him chuckle and felt him relax somewhat. "I'm just afraid to get too attached to her because I don't know if I can live with the pain of losing her once her life is over."

I heard his sharp intake of air and then I listened as he slowly let it out again, "Not a word of this to anyone, I'm I understood."

It was my turn to chuckle; Aro could be so serious when he wanted a secret kept. "Not once in the entire course of our marriage have I ever betrayed your confidence my Love."

"See to it that it remains so," he replied rather stiffly. "You are not the only one who fears the pain of grief that will come when Lillian's life is no more. Already I am, as you say, too attached . . . I am not sure that I will bear it well and I try not to think too much about it. However, your comments have brought the topic into very sharp focus."

"I'm sorry," I apologized into the folds of his shirt.

"Not at all, my beloved," he sighed, "Have patients and do not lose heart; we will find a way to give Lillian the long and happy human life that she deserves."


	13. Chapter 13

NOTE: I do not own or have rights to Twilight or its characters!

A nice long chapter ~ enjoy a safe Memorial Day weekend!

Chapter 13

Aro

While I never enjoy unpleasantness with my mate, there is something positive to be said for the making up period that inevitably follows. Once Sulpicia and I finally got to the bottom of matters regarding her feeling about Lillian, we spent the rest of the evening in blissful contentment. I left only when I was interrupted by a call from Jane; Dmitri and the others we had dispatched to Paris were back and ready to give an account of their activates to the Court.

As I sat in the throne room, flanked on either side by my brother listing to the debriefing, my mind continued to wander. A part of my consciousness listened to the account of how the team we dispatched from our headquarters managed to annihilate the two warring covens. The other part of my mind remained focused on the issue of Lillian and her relation to Sulpicia and myself.

In the calmer moments that followed her outburst, my beloved reiterated her affection for Lillian and insisted that not only would she continue to keep my secret, but that the human girl was welcome in our home. She would not interfere with my plans, but she also refused to commit to stepping into the role of mother to the girl. In spite of her vigorous insistence that she did not wish to participate in Lillian's upbringing, I knew otherwise. During the blissful passion that followed our disagreement, some of the mental barriers that ordinarily kept my gift at bay weakened somewhat and snippets of Sulpicia's musings flowed from her mind into mine. She could clearly see herself mothering Lillian; it was only the fear of what that deep attachment might eventually mean that kept her firmly resistant to the role. Of course, I could understand her reluctance; the thought of experiencing the tragic pain of Lillian's eventual demise caused the breath to catch in my throat.

I shifted positions in my seat as Dmitri droned on about the killing of Alfonse St. Joan, the leader of the second largest coven in Paris. Under other circumstances, I would have found his accounting quite interesting, but in my distracted state it was mealy idle chatter. As the veteran member of the guard continued to speak my mind toyed with notions of how I might manipulate Sulpicia in such a way as to break down her resistance to mothering Lillian. I analyzed each scenario from every possible angle: while these would require time, I was certain of my eventual success.

As the subject of who now controlled the territory in and around Paris and which of the lesser French covens might rise to fill the power vacuum was tabled, another problem highlighted by our marital quarrel now sized my attention. _". . . the reality is that the demands place upon her frail human body by giving her essence for your nourishment every two to three weeks will take its toll on her. In the end, no matter how much you love her, you will end up killing her."_

I couldn't force Sulpicia's stinging words to cease their constant echo through my mind. Of course I knew that every human brought into the Colony would eventually die due to the medical complications imposed upon them by giving blood so very often. The Colony did provide us with a renewable resource in terms of nourishment, but that resources had its physical limitations. It was the accepted practice of organizations like the Red Cross to limit blood donations to one unit every 56 days; and only if the donor meet certain stringent criteria at the time of donation. This safety precaution had been a point of heated contention between Carlisle and I when he first took over as Medical Director. In order to limit the size of the Colony's total population, more frequent donations were required, but this more rigorous donor schedule put human safety in jeopardy.

" _. . . no matter how much you love her, you will end up killing her."_

I took Lillian into my stable in the first place because her essence was such a rare delicacy. From the very moment I tasted that first glistening ruby dewdrop on the end of my finger, I was addicted. Even now, the memory of her nectar sweet blood cascading over my tongue made the venom pool in my mouth and sent a shiver of ecstasy through my body. Yet Sulpicia's words . . . _you will end up killing her_ . . . would not leave me. If I continued to take from her, I _would_ end up killing her; of this there was no doubt. And then of course there was the nagging ethical question: just how proper is it for a father to exploit his daughter in such a manner? If I continued to indulge in her essence, would I not be little better than a human pedophile who preys on innocent children?

By the time the debriefing ended, I felt more confused than before. Not in the whole expanse of my four thousand year existence had I called so much of my motives and behaviors into accounting. As I left the throne room my head was quite literally spinning, and I could think of only one person in the entire world whom I could go to for aid.

A hand caught my elbow and I was abruptly pulled into an alcove. When I had my wits about me again I realized it was Marcus; this was the second time the old turtle managed to get the drop on me. It was beginning to become a very irritating and embarrassing habit.

"I noticed that you were very distracted today Aro," Marcus groaned. His expression was an expressionless mask, but because he still held my elbow his thoughts were mine to explore; he was suspicious.

"It was nothing Marcus," I dismissed as I tried to pull away from his grip. He continued to hold me fast.

"It is unlike you to be so distracted when important Volturi business is discussed in Court," his gaze narrowed as he inspected me more judiciously. "This would not have anything to do with your intriguing new pet; would it? I sensed something . . . _odd_ . . . between the two of you yesterday; an unusual energy that I've never noted before."

Damn, I cursed mentally. I'd nearly forgotten about Marcus' annoying little gift. "Marital problems," I insisted casually, "Sulpicia and I had a little disagreement earlier . . . that is the source of my distraction." Sometimes hiding in plain sight was the best strategy and hopefully my answer would satisfy him.

Marcus nodded thoughtfully, but when I tried once more to tug free of his hold his grip was still as tight as a vice. "And would this spat with your mate happen to have been over Lillian," he finally asked.

"Would you mind unhanding me, dear Brother," I requested, "I am not likely to scurry away like a startled cockroach."

"But of course," he hummed contentedly, "how rude of me to detain you so." An amused smile spread slowly across his face as he released his hold on me. His last thoughts to flow through my mind indicated his pleasure at my overly apparent discomfort. "Now, I believe you were going to tell me about your disagreement with Sulpicia."

"You are very observant Marcus," I sighed. "Sulpicia was quite irritated with me regarding my utter failure to protect and defend poor Lillian in the face of the slanderous accusations brought against her. She felt I should have done more on the girl's behalf, and that my treatment of her was paramount to throwing her under a speeding train. So yes Marcus, we argued over Lillian . . . are you satisfied?"

His look of contentment shifted to one of disappointment, "I still say that I sensed something very odd between you and Lillian in Court the other day. You're hiding something Aro and I mean to know what that something is."

"Advanced age and profound melancholy have finally taken their toll on your senses Marcus," I dismissed as I started to leave. "You see intrigue and deception where none exists . . . it is a very unhealthy sign my Brother and a very sad one."

I heard him huff but he said nothing further. After making a brief stop at my office to quench my burning thirst, I made my way to the Commons. The reaction that my presence made among the human stock always amazed and intrigued me. They were aware of my nature and they were also aware of the fact that they were safe in the Colony and yet it was inevitable that they would retreat from me like frightened cattle.

I soon found myself standing outside the Medical Complex; to my left was the entrance to the Collection Center and to my right, the Infirmary. I opened the unassuming door on the right and stepped inside the clinic. The patient waiting area was empty, but I could smell three humans somewhere within the clinic. One human scent belonged to the wretched Frank who dared to accost my Lillian; just thinking of him incensed me to the point of wanting to break something. The other two scents belonged to a pair of females. I couldn't detect anything immediately wrong with them, but from the snippets of conversation that my predatory hearing could detect one of the young ladies was having trouble sleeping.

I settled myself into one of the waiting room chairs and took up a tattered magazine. Twenty minutes later, Carlisle escorted the two young women back to the waiting area. The women looked oddly at me before thanking the good doctor for his services. It was obvious that they were startled by the presence of a vampire in the waiting room of a medical office; after all how often is it that one of our kind suffers a runny nose or an ear infection. When they were gone my old friend regarded me with one raised eyebrow; it would seem that he too found my presence in his clinic a bit unusual.

"Are you able to spare a moment?" I asked as I put down the magazine and stood up.

"Of course," he replied kindly though his expression was still one of surprise. "This way please; I think my office would be best."

Inside his office I took a seat on one of two the large overstuffed leather chairs that occupied the space in front of his desk. Instead of settling behind his huge mahogany desk, Carlisle joined me by taking the other large chair in front of it.

"What can I do for you," he asked after a few awkward moments.

"You could give me five minutes alone with that urchin, Frank," I grunted.

Carlisle didn't bother to dignify my remark by replying, he simply sat there staring at me. "I need your advice," I finally sighed.

"Concerning what," he probed thoughtfully as he shifted to make himself more comfortable.

"Do you recall the conversation we had in your study a few days ago," I inquired. When he nodded I continued, "I have been giving the points that you highlighted a considerable amount of thought and I have come to the conclusion that the observations you made concerning Lillian's needs are valid."

"Really," he seemed a bit taken back by my confession. "And just how do you propose to address Lilly's needs . . . or do you intend to continue on as if they do not exist?"

"You have every right to be skeptical with regard to my motives old friend. After all, in the past I have offered you every evidence that Aro only does what is best for Aro," I insisted. If I was to have any hope of eliciting Carlisle's assistance I needed to be absolutely transparent with him; a tactic that went completely contrary to my nature. "Do you remember those long evenings we spent together by the hearth in my salon back when you lived with us in the old city; how we discussed earnestly the weighty and philosophical topics of the day? Can we not have that level of honest communication between us now, friend Carlisle?"

"Much has transpired between us since those days, Aro." Then he dropped his voice and narrowed his gaze as he regarded me. "You have betrayed my trust and threatened my family more than once. While it is in my nature to forgive you, those are transgressions which I cannot _forget_."

"Is there no hope for a bridge between us then; if only for Lillian's sake?"

The room was plunged into silence as Carlisle considered my request. "For Lilly's sake only," he finally acquiesced, "What do you want?"

"You were right, she needs a father and I . . ."

"I would be honored to step in and fill the role," Carlisle interrupted me, a small smile turning up his mouth as he spoke.

"Actually, my friend," I paused and fixed him firmly with my gaze,  
"I intended to father her myself."

His smile vanished with my words; snuffed out like a candle in a drafty window sill. "You're not really serious, are you!" he stammered. "You have no real experience with humans beyond farming them for their essence. And you have _absolutely_ no experience as a parent . . . unless you want to consider Jane and Alec as children."

In truth, I had once considered Jane as a daughter, but her interest in me eventually became more physical and I had to distance myself from her somewhat. We still had what I considered a special bond, but I could never be to her what she desired; I could never betray my beloved Sulpicia that way. As for Alec, I turned him at Jane's behest; I wanted his gift in my service and the company of a brother made Jane happy.

"Did you have experience as a father when you turned Edward?" I knew the answer even before I asked the question.

"No, I did not," Carlisle replied uncomfortably. "But what I lacked in paternal experience I made up for in the knowledge I gleaned about living this existence. First I became his teacher, mentor, and friend; the paternity came later as an honor that I earned. While I might have considered him as a son from the moment my venom mingled with his blood, Edward could have easily rejected the notion. He could have said thank you to me when I'd taught him what he needed to know, and gone on his merry way."

"But he didn't," I reminded him, "which means the Edward wanted a father as much as you wanted a son."

"Perhaps," he dismissed, "but we're not here to discuss the father/son relationship between myself and Edward . . . we're here to discuss how you intend to parent Lilly. How does she feel about this and perhaps just as importantly, how does Sulpicia feel about it?"

Now it was my turn to shift uncomfortably in my seat, "The latter point is one of the things I wish to seek your advice about. Sulpicia is quite fond of Lillian, but points to the inevitability of her mortal death as a reason to avoid becoming too close to the girl. She refuses to take on the role of mother, but will support my endeavor and maintain my secret. I was wondering how you managed to entice Esme to accept all the new additions you made to your family; perhaps I could borrow your strategy."

"I never had to _entice _Esme to do anything," Carlisle shot back. He seemed a bit offended by my question. "She loved and accepted each of our children from the very moment she laid eyes on them; I never manipulated her into being a loving mother, it was naturally within her heart to be one."

"I'm sorry, old friend," I apologized; by his reaction I knew I had upset him. "I did not mean to offend you. I was only hoping that you might have some new ideas that I had not yet considered that might convince Sulpicia to become a mother to Lillian."

"Aro, you can't . . .," he stopped in mid statement and shook his head. "Never mind," he sighed as he slumped in his chair.

"No," I insisted. "Hold nothing back; I would know what you honestly think."

Carlisle watched me for several moments; skepticism still lurked in his golden eyes. Finally he took a deep breath and spoke, "You are not satisfied unless you can have your way, Aro, and your preferred tactic to achieving that end is manipulation. It is how you maintain control over every aspect of your world and your existence. You alone rule over the vampire world, yet Caius and Marcus and everyone else are so blinded by your cleaver manipulations they believe that the three Volturi Lords rule as one. My mate and I are here in this abysmal place as a result of your skillful and ruthless manipulation." He paused for a moment and I watched as he pinched the bridge of his nose. The gesture told me he was frustrated; which could only mean that he knew what he wished to say to me, but he was reluctant to say it.

"Out with it Carlisle," I prodded, "I've told you already … hold nothing back."

He went from pinching the bridge of his nose to massaging small circles there; if he had not been dead for four hundred years, the anxiety of this moment might have caused his immediate demise.

"You cannot entice Sulpicia into parenting Lilly," he finally announced. "You cannot manipulate your mate in any way when it comes to this matter. The decision must be hers and it must be made without any interference from you. This may seem utterly foreign to you, Aro, but love cannot be bought and sold, it cannot be demanded or lorded over … it is a wondrous and freely given gift and Sulpicia must decided to give this gift to Lilly of her own accord."

"She will, my friend," I insisted in a rather desperate sounding tone. "It is in her thoughts to do this thing; only fear holds her back."

"It matters not which force inhibits her," Carlisle retorted sternly. "She must come to the decision on her own. If you attempt to manipulate the situation, at some point in the future Sulpicia will resent you for it." He sighed then and when he spoke next his voice was warm and soothing, "I'm not suggesting that you keep Lilly and Sulpicia strictly separated, what I'm saying is this; Lilly had no trouble whatsoever working her magic on your stony old heart, she likely won't have any trouble working the same spell on your mate. Let them be together, let them interact, but don't push the issue."

I spent a few minutes in silence, digesting Carlisle's words, before getting to my feet. "I am glad we are friends, Carlisle Cullen."

"Really . . . and why is that?" he asked as he stood and walked with me towards his office door.

"Because if we were not friends," I pause and looked deeply into his eyes, "I fear that your vast and profound wisdom would make you a very formidable advisory . . . one I'm not entirely certain I could defeat."


	14. Chapter 14

**Note:** _I do not own or have rights to Twilight or its characters!_

**Chapter 14**

**Lillian**

I woke suddenly from my sleep; jumping up in a tangle of sheets and blankets with my skin covered in a fine sheen of moisture. In my dreams, I was in the throne room again with the platinum haired demon, Caius, glaring holes through me with his hideous red eyes. The only other person in the dream was Frank; together he and the hateful vampire delighted in tormenting me. I woke when Caius whispered "This will teach Aro not to cross me," then I felt a sharp burning pain in my neck. Frank's wicked laughter was still ringing in my ears as I sat bolt upright in bed.

I glanced over at the clock on the bedside table; the glowing blue numbers read 3:29 am. After untangling myself from my bedcovers, I made my way to the bathroom. Earlier, I had spent a pleasant evening with Aro and his beautiful mate. When I began to nod off on their sofa, Aro insisted on escorting my back to my apartment; after my experience with Frank earlier, I was glad for even my owner's company. Not only did he see me home, but he waited in the living room for me while I ready myself for bed and then he insisted on tucking me in. Thinking back on it now, the tucking in part was a bit creepy, but in my rattled state I had accepted the gesture gratefully.

After taking care of my human needs, I washed my hands and splashed water on my face. Over dinner I had asked Aro why Caius seemed to hate me. My owner assured me that the platinum blond vampire's anger was aimed at him and not at me; in spite of this I couldn't shake the feeling that Caius would take great pleasure in killing me if he ever got the chance.

I looked again at the clock; it was now 3:47 am. I wanted to go back to bed, but at the same time I doubted that I would fall easily back to sleep. With a deep sigh I stumbled out of my bedroom and towards my apartment's small kitchenette. When I opened the refrigerator door the light nearly blinded me; I stood there for a moment until my vision cleared then I gazed at the contents within. It seemed odd to always have a fully stocked fridge, but never ever go shopping in order to stock it. I hadn't realized, until the night Aro came bearing me dinner and serenading me, that he made my grocery list … he personally wrote it out. The stuff in my fridge was there because he ordered it for me. As I reached for the gallon jug of milk, I couldn't help feeling slightly annoyed. My annoyance grew to full-fledged anger when, after pouring myself a glass of the cold white liquid, I couldn't find any cookies in the kitchen cabinets ~ not a single scrumptious crumb anywhere.

"What idiot buys milk, but forgets the cookies?" I muttered in disgust. Then I remembered who was making my grocery list … I suppose blood sucking vamps weren't familiar with the decadent pleasure of chocolate chip cookies and ice cold milk.

Eventually I managed to find a jar of peanut butter and a loaf of bread, but no jelly of any sort. I ended up making a peanut butter and honey sandwich to go with my glass of milk. My life, right down to the most mundane things like what was in my fridge and pantry, was a highly regulated affair … I guess I shouldn't have been all that shocked, I was his dairy cow after all.

**0o0o0o0o**

I woke again when the fake window in my bedroom began to glow with "morning" light; the clock by my bed now read 6:00 am. I was usually up by now, but this morning instead of rolling out of bed and heading for the shower, I simply rolled over and pulled up the covers. It wasn't that I was actually still sleepy, something else had me lazing around in bed … I really just didn't want to get up.

An hour and a half later, I couldn't put off the inevitable any longer; my stomach was growling louder than an angry bulldog and I needed to relieve myself anyway. I tumbled out of bed and stumbled towards the bathroom and the long hot shower that waited for me there. Thirty minutes later I got dressed, packed my little backpack, and headed for the front door. As I reached for the door handle however, I froze dead in my tracks. Only yesterday I had looked forward to my morning stroll to the Commons, to watching the crowd milling around me; it seemed like a bit of adventure to me then … but not this morning. I stepped back slowly from the door; where yesterday's anticipation at going outside once lived, anxiety and dread now replaced it.

"I think I saw cereal in the cupboard last night," I muttered as I put my belongings down on the table.

After a simple breakfast of cereal, milk, a banana, and a cup of hot tea I settled myself on the couch from some channel surfing. In reality I was watching the clock in the lower left corner of the TV screen; at noon I was supposed to meet Carlisle in the infirmary so that he could escort me to his apartment. Esme was making me lunch … it seemed neither of them thought I ate enough. I wondered how upset the beautiful and kind golden eyed vampires would be if I didn't show.

It wasn't that I wanted to stand them up or that I didn't enjoy Carlisle and Esme's company ~ in fact, I liked being around them very much … it was something else … something that made the pit of my stomach tighten into a knot at the thought of going outside my apartment … it was fear. What if another Frank lurked among the other humans in the Colony? What if they were waiting somewhere outside my door, ready to attack me, and this time Aro couldn't save me? Then the image of the platinum haired demon danced through my mind, and I shuddered … what if I ran into Caius, out there … and I was all alone … what would stop him from making good on the threat from my dream? I shuddered again; remembering the way he looked at me in the throne room, I could too easily image him killing me.

I tried to lose myself in old movies, but my eyes never left the clock for very long. Finally, 11:30 rolled around and I had to make a decision; would I try to make my way to the clinic to have lunch with the Dr. Cullen and his wife or would I remain locked safely in my apartment and apologize to them later? I sat motionless staring at the front door when suddenly Carlisle's warm smile and soft spoken voice filled my imagination. I remembered the sad way he'd looked at me the first day we met and how deeply sorry I felt for him. Then Esme's face danced through my imagination; boundless love shown like sunlight from her eyes and her touch was magical in its ability to sooth away fear and hurt. They cared for me; perhaps they were the only two beings in the whole Colony who truly and genuinely cared what happened to me.

I found myself moving, but it felt as though my entire body was made of led. After collecting my things, I glanced at the clock; it was now ten minutes past twelve, I was late. I could apologize for being late, and I knew they would forgive me … but to not show up at all would hurt them deeply and I couldn't stand the thought of that. I swallowed hard as I reached once more for the door handle, this time I managed to grasp it. The instant I clutched the cold metal handle, Frank's face filled my mind and I could hear his cold laugh ringing inside my head. I almost let go of the door handle again, but then Esme's love filed eyes and Carlisle's soft spoken voice chased the specter of Frank away. I took a deep breath and opened the door.

I stepped out into the hallway and closed the door behind me; my heart was racing and I was breathing like I'd just returned from a five mile run. I leaned against the wall for a moment trying to calm myself and catch my breath; maybe this wasn't such a good idea I thought as fear continued to make my heart pound and chest heave. My mind conjured the golden eyed couple again; they seemed to be in front of me now, beckoning me forward with their kind smiles. Keeping close to the wall, I started moving forward; before I realized it, I'd reached the double doors that marked the entrance to Aro's personal stable.

The double doors stood open, as they always did during the day. I stood gazing at them as I attempted to dredge up another jolt of courage to propel me through the doorway. Another door slammed somewhere in the distance and crisp footfalls echoed off the marble floor. My heart found a new, faster, tempo as I pressed myself practically flat against the wall I was leaning on. Who could it be coming up the hall beyond the double doors … was it Jane … she was only second to the platinum haired demon on the list of vamps who enjoyed watching me suffer. I remained frozen until I couldn't hear the footsteps any more. The bitter taste of bile rose up in my throat as I realized just how exposed and helpless I was; I could die here in the hallway, Caius could appear at any moment from out of the shadows and kill me in a heartbeat. A part of my mind screamed for me to run back to my apartment as fast as my human legs could carry me, but I remained frozen as my mind continued to ponder. Aro would never even know that something was wrong until he popped by for his evening visit and found me missing. Would my owner care that I'd died like a dog, would it upset him, even a little, that his wicked brother had murdered me? Then I remember how he had materialized out of the shadows the day before and rescued me from Frank and his crew, the boom of absolute authority in his voice as he demanded to know what was going on. He saved me, but why … was it simply because the thought of others putting their hands on **_HIS_** property irritated him, or was there another reason?

Footsteps clattered on the marble again sending my heart back into its frantic tempo; for the span of several heartbeats I could think of nothing except the footfalls and what it must be like to die. As the echo faded away once more, Aro's face danced through my imagination; the burning crimson embers of his eyes promised swift and painful retribution for anyone who harmed me. With a deep breath and a hard swallow I pushed forward through the double doors.

The corridor beyond Aro's personal stable was a broad colonnade; wide enough to drive two sports cars down, running side by side. Though I remained against the wall for support, I felt even more exposed than I had before. I stopped every few feet to listen for movement around me; from experience I knew vamps could move silently, but humans couldn't … if another Frank was waiting for me in the shadows, I would hear him. With effort I made it past the point where I had been attacked the day before and soon found myself standing in front of the Bernini. By now my chest was burning with pain, my mouth was as dry as desert sand, and I was so dizzy that I was sure if it weren't for the wall I was up against, I would fall flat on my face. I stood leaning on the smooth marble wall bent over double with my hands on my knees; I couldn't catch my breath, no matter how hard I tried.

"Lilly," a voice called out to me and I flew into a blind panic. I turned and tried to run but didn't make more than a few awkward strides before I collapsed in a heap on the floor.

"Lilly," the voices soothed as cool hands touched my clamy skin. I glanced up to find a pair of warm golden eyes looking back at me. Carlisle was beside me, a concerned scowl etched on his face. "Esme said something must be wrong," he muttered softly. "You need to calm down, child," he insisted as he scooped me into his arms, "Before you have a heart attack. Take nice deep breaths, Lilly … slow and even; In … hold … and out … hold …in …. hold …and out … hold …."

I tried to concentrate on his voice, breathing in the pattern he counted out for me. When I finally felt him putting me down again, I couldn't recall how we'd gotten to … where were we anyway? I assumed we were in his apartment, but when I glanced around the room I found myself in the sterile white environment of the clinic. I panicked again as I tried to fight my way out of the bed covers.

"Lillian!" Carlisle spoke my full name and in a stern tone that I was unaccustomed too. He was beside the bed glaring at me, "Will you please calm down; you're quite safe here. Do you honestly believe that I would allow harm to come to you?"

I shook my head as I settled down again and allowed Carlisle to tuck me back in. My chest still hurt and, while I was breathing a little better and was no longer dizzy, I had a monster headache.

"What's wrong … with me?" I asked between ragged breaths.

"By the looks of it, I'd say you're having a panic attack … and a rather serious one too, I might add." he answered as he laid an IV bag on the bed beside me … wonderful, just what I needed; needles.

"I'm going to give you some IV fluids and some medicine to help calm you down," he continued as he pulled a chair up beside my bed and sat down, "after you've had some rest, we can talk about what happened."

I barely felt the IV needle bite into my flesh … barely felt the sting of the medicine he injected into me to make me relax; soon I was drifting on a fuzzy warm river of haze as I succumb to sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

**NOTE:** _**I do not own or have rights to Twilight or its characters!**_

** Chapter 15**

**Carlisle**

I sat in silence beside the bed Lilly now occupied; she lay sleeping, but it was not the peaceful sleep that I would have liked. In spite of the rather heavy dose of sedative I'd administered earlier, her sleep was fitful. Even now, I watched as her face contorted as if she was in absolute agony and she moaned softly. She was uninjured; I knew this to be the case as I had conducted a thorough physical examination once the sedative took hold. It was clear to me that the source of her continued distress was not physical, but rather it was caused by some mental and emotional trauma. I had my ideas regarding this, of course, but I would have to wait until Lilly was awake and calm in order to discuss it with her.

When I found Lilly earlier in the day she was clearly in medical distress. I was going to fetch her to lunch; when she ran nearly an hour late, Esme insisted something must be the matter with her. Over the years I have found it very wise indeed to heed my mate's instincts, especially when it comes to children. While she tends to be considerably more lenient with regards to discipline and behavior than me, I can always count on her motherly intuition to ferret out the crux of any issue amongst our brood. It would seem that, in the absence of our own children, her maternal radar was now firmly focused on Lilly.

When I came upon her near the Bernini, she was bent over double and struggling to breath; her condition had me terribly concerned. Her heart was racing at an outrageous pace, she was as pale as a sheet, her skin was covered in a fine sheen of moisture, and her breathing was labored. When I called out to her, she tried to run away. I was appalled by her response to me; what had I ever done to make Lilly fearful of me? It wasn't until I'd gotten close to her and saw the utter panic in her luminous brown eyes that I began to understand; she was in the throes of a fully fledged panic attack. I wasn't entirely sure what had triggered the episode, but I felt certain that I wasn't the cause of it. Something had Lilly spooked … and it continued to spook her even under sedation.

There was a light knock at the door; I knew who it was instantly as Aro's scent tickled my nose. "Enter, but be quiet … Lilly's sleeping and I don't want her wakened."

The door opened with a creak that only a vampire would hear and then I heard it shut softly. When I looked up Aro was standing at the foot of the narrow hospital bed, his face was awash with concern. In all the years that I had known the leader of our world, I had never known him to look upon any human with such a genuinely troubled countenance.

"What happened," he asked quietly, but his eyes never left Lilly.

"When she was late for her lunch date with us, Esme insisted that I go looking for her," I replied in the same quiet tone, "I found her by the Bernini sculpture that she's so fond of … in the grips of a major panic attack. I fear if I hadn't come upon her when I did, she might have literally died from fright."

"What had her so frightened," this time he looked at me when he spoke.

"I wasn't able to ascertain that." Just then, Lilly whimpered in her sleep causing both Aro and I to glance in her direction. When she settled again, I continued, "Her condition was quite serious, I felt that it was medically prudent to treat her condition first and then ask question later. I'm sorry if my course of action wasn't to your liking."

"You are Medical Director for a reason Carlisle," he insisted as he continued to watch Lilly toss in her sleep. "I trust your judgment implicitly. If you felt that managing her physical state was a priority at that moment then I have no complaints about your course of action … in fact I owe you my thanks for treating my Lillian in such a timely and conscientious manor. I know you are fond of her also, and it must have been very difficult for you to see her in such an awful state." He paused for a moment and then asked, "Will she be … alright?"

I sighed as I considered how best to answer him. From a purely physical stand point, she would likely recover from her episode without complications, from the emotional side of thing however … that remained to be seen. Her emotional recovery would be dependent on a myriad of factors all of which revolved around Lilly herself.

"Physically, she should be fine with a few days rest," I assured him. Then my voice took on a graver tone, "Emotionally however, I'm afraid we'll have to take the "wait and see" approach. Again I apologize; I wish I had a more definitive answer."

We were both silent for a time as we watched Lilly sleep until a thought occurred to me. "She had dinner with you and Sulpicia last night; what was her behavior like, did you notice anything unusual?"

"She seemed fine," Aro sighed, "perhaps a bit unsettled by the day's events, but otherwise fine. Unfortunately, I am not an expert on the intricacies of human behavior like you are." He paused then, and I noticed his eyebrows knit together in an expression that was very uncharacteristic for Aro, "There was something … over dinner, she seemed a bit sullen and eventually she asked me why Caius hated her. I assured her that Caius did not hate her but that he was angry with me. You don't suppose her current predicament has anything to do with her belief that my brother hates her … do you?"

"Hate, whether real or perceived, is a powerful emotion," I replied sadly. "I can see where she would think that Caius hated her; did you happen to take notice of the way he was glaring at her in Court yesterday. If looks could kill, as the humans say … she would have dropped where she stood."

"Not to mention the way he kept hounding her ever time she tried to speak," Aro added. "I see your point, Carlisle. What can be done for her … is there a treatment for her panic attacks?"

I watched Lilly for a few moments before answering Aro's question. "The treatment for her panic attacks is to address her anxiety. In the short term, I can prescribe some anti-anxiety medication to help lessen her symptoms. This won't fix the problem, of course … that will require Lilly facing her fears."

"I can drag Caius in here, force him to his knees before her, and make him apologize to her in every language that his filthy tongue knows how to wrap itself around … if that will help her," Aro hissed angrily.

"Have you gone mad?" I found myself exclaiming in a louder tone than I intended. Lilly stirred a little but didn't wake up.

"I am beyond _mad_ Carlisle," he answered in a dangerously calm voice. "I am beyond enraged even." Then he fixed with a most serious gaze, "How would you feel if this had happened to Alice, or Bella, or Rose? Would you not be absolutely livid and wish to rip apart the very thing which caused them harm … would you not … wish vengeance."

I should have known something like this would eventually happen; Aro was well versed in what it means to be a vampire, but sorely lacking in area of what it means to be a father.

"I understand your feelings old friend; believe me when I tell you that there have been times over the years when I have been where you are now and have felt what you are feeling. I have been angry at those who have hurt _or attempted to hurt_ my family …" I glared directly at him to drill my last words home, he most of all, had been the subject of those angry feelings.

"But anger does not do those that you love any good," I went on after a few seconds of staring at him. "As a vampire, mature and in the full prime of your power, you feel a deep seated need to protect and defend that which you consider _**yours**_ … be that something your territory, your mate, or in this case … your child. I know these feelings very well my friend, because I have them too.

"However, now you are called upon to be a father and this is a very different realm … one with which you are not acquainted. A father still wishes to protect and defend his home and his family, but he does it for different reasons and by different methods. That which a vampire chooses to defends as his own, he does so for the most basic and selfish of reasons _**… it is mine and I will not allow any other to touch it or have it! **_Perhaps with the exception of the mate bond, love is seldom involved in this primal desire.

"But being a father is different, Aro. Your anger and desire to avenge this situation will not help Lilly. She needs your strength and your support, she needs …"

He cut off my remarks with a wave of his hand; a bemused look clouded his features. "I am confused friend Carlisle," he insisted as he shook his head. "The humans always make such a big deal about justice … they send men to prison and to the gallows for it. Would it not be justices to have Caius on his knees before Lillian, apologizing for his transgressions?"

I sighed, Aro wasn't getting it. "That would entirely depend upon _**why**_ you are forcing Caius to apologize. If you are doing it for Lilly's sake, because she wants it, and it will give her peace, then it is indeed justice for Lilly. If, however, you are doing it for your own sake, because you wish it so … then it is not justice for Lilly, but rather it is vengeance for Aro."

"Justice for Lillian … vengeance for Aro; what difference does it make," Aro dismissed lightly. "In either case, Caius is brought into accounting for his actions … isn't that more important?"

Perhaps teaching Aro to think like a father and not like a coven leader or a Volturi Lord was going to be a more arduous task than I first anticipated. He was, as Charlie would say, _set in his ways_ … getting him to embrace a new mind set was going to take more than a little elbow grease on my part.

"It would matter quite a lot to Lilly," I finally said with an exhausted sigh. "And besides, given her current emotional state, if you were to drag Caius in here right now you'd likely scare the poor child to death or at the very least cause her to fly into another hysterical episode. She's nowhere near being ready for that kind of confrontation."

"Why didn't you say _**that**_ in the beginning," he chided me sharply, "instead of preaching at me about justice and vengeance," then he turned and walked quietly towards the door. "You are a good man Carlisle and a wise man too," he mused allowed. "Please let me know when she wakes up, I would like to come by and visit later … without Caius, of course."


	16. Chapter 16

**NOTE: _I do not own or have rights to Twilight or its characters!_**

**_A really, really long chapter for ya'll ~ enjoy!_**

**Chapter 16:**

**Carlisle:**

A second knock came at the door to Lilly's room, this time Esme's scent wafted under the sweep. Aro had left well over an hour ago and I had expected my mate's presence long before now.

"Come in love," I whispered.

The door opened and closed softly; then she was beside me, her hand resting lightly on my shoulder. In answer to her silent solidarity I snaked my arm around her waist and pulled her tightly against me. She didn't need to speak in order to offer me comfort; Aro alluded to the difficulty of seeing Lilly in such an awful state, but Esme acutely understood that difficulty in a way that he never could. Not only was I deeply fond of Lilly, but her near identical resemblance to Alice made seeing her suffer practically unbearable.

"How is she," my mate asked softly.

"Resting comfortably," I mutter in a purely clinical tone. The frown on Esme's face at my reply made me feel guilty. "I'm sorry love," I apologized, "dealing with Lilly's condition and my own feelings towards her plus Aro's … naive insensitivity … seem to have me stuck in clinical mode."

"I know," she bent down and kissed the top of my head, "It's the only way you can process it all and retain you sanity."

I smile curled my lips as I took a deep breath; filling my lungs with Esme scented air. No matter the difficulty of the situation, she always seemed to understand and know exactly how to minister to me. I doubted that I would have been able to survive in this abysmal place without her at my side.

"But you know, dear," she continued quietly, "When Lilly wakes, she's not going to want Dr. Cullen … she's going to want Carlisle."

"I know," I sighed heavily, "but right now Dr. Cullen is much easier for me to manage … I can still be kind and compassionate in clinical mode, you should see me when I'm at the hospital."

"Dr. Cullen is kind and compassionate, yes … but he's not vulnerable," Esme corrected lightly. "I know, given you feelings about Lilly, this is a difficult situation is for you, but she's going to need that vulnerability … it's the window to your humanity, Carlisle, and she's going to need to see that in you."

I was the one accustomed to giving the sagely advice, so to be on the receiving end of it was a bit odd, "Have you spoken to Alice … is there something I need to know?"

Esme giggled, "I don't need Alice's gift to know what I'm talking about, I speaking from personal experience. Have you forgotten my first year and a half with you? I was afraid, ashamed and unsure … I didn't know what to make of this creature that I had become or the strange emotional tug of war I experienced whenever you were near me. I could tell when Dr. Cullen was addressing me and when I was speaking to Carlisle … Dr. Cullen was easier for you, as it afforded you a shell of protection from my turbulent emotions, but Carlisle was who I wanted and needed. It wasn't until you realized this that our relationship truly began to flourish."

"Beloved," I stood and took her in my arms, "that was different. You were a newborn vampire dealing with all the trauma which that situation entails and we were in love and destined to become mates, even though we couldn't see it at that moment. This situation however …" She pressed her finger to my lips then, effectively silencing me in mid sentence.

"Now listen to me, Dr. Cullen," she addressed me rather formally. "While _**you**_ may know medicine like the back of your hand, _**I**_ know children. The only difference between me as an afraid, ashamed, and unsure newborn and Lilly as a frightened, alone, and confused child is that she is still in possession of her humanity. As for love; you may not feel a mate's bond towards her, but you can't stand there and lie to me by tell me you don't feel anything … I know otherwise, it's written in your eyes every time you look at her."

She paused and stared directly into my eyes; she was waiting for an answer, but she hadn't removed the finger from my lips. I was reduced to nodding my reply. There was a stirring in the bed where Lilly lay; without removing her finger from my lips, she glanced quickly in that direction and then returned her attention to me.

"Can I assume from the slow rise in her heart rate and the change in her breathing patter that Lilly is going to wake soon?"

Again I nodded, though my lips were beginning to curl into a smile.

"Are you going to be your usual self for her, my gentle caring Carlisle … and not clinical Dr. Cullen?"

This time she removed her finger, but as she did so she glared at me and her right eyebrow shot up. The expression mirrored one of my own which I often aimed at our children when they misbehaved; it was my "if you know what's good for you, you'll answer me properly" expression.

"I will endeavor to try," I answered politely.

Esme's raised eyebrow became a scowl which, for some odd reason, caused a tantalizing yet highly unprofessional yearning to course through me.

"Very well, I do care quite deeply for Lilly … in fact, it borders on wishing to have her as a daughter," I admitted out loud for the first very time. I was grateful that Aro was far away and couldn't hear my confession; he might not have taken kindly to it considering his own feelings for Lilly. "I will try to push aside _clinical mode _and be just Carlisle for her."

When she smiled with satisfaction I decided to tempt fate, "And on a personal note, Mrs. Cullen, might I add that I find it absolutely intoxicating when you …" her finger was instantly against my lips again, staunching the rest of my remarks.

"Later," she insisted with more than a hint of promises in her voice and then she playfully kissed the end of my nose before removing her finger from my lips. "Lilly will wake soon."

**0o0o0o**

**Lillian:**

I drifted on a sea of gray haze in a place that had no boundaries; no walls, no ceiling, no floors. Time did not exist here either; there were no hours or minuets, there was no day nor was there night. There was only the enveloping blanket of grayness and a strange sort of peace. I couldn't exactly find words that described the way I felt or the sense of tranquility that seemed to occupy every cell of my body; it was warm and comfortable and secure. I could stay immersed in this soft world of gray for the rest of my life and I would be content.

"Lilly," a voice called out to me. It was familiar and warm, but distant. I dismissed it as I didn't wish to answer; doing so would disturb the languid tranquility of my gray place.

"Lilly," the voice called again. This time its tone was more urgent and it seemed to be a bit closer. The tranquility around me began to ripple; like the surface of a pond after someone had thrown a stone into it_. Be quiet and go away_, I thought angrily at the voice.

"Come now Lilly." The voice was all around me now, assaulting me as it stripped away the comforting blanket of grayness. Why was the voice doing this, couldn't it see I was happy here?

"N …n ..nooo", I protested … was that _my_ voice? Yes, it was me; slurred and groggy. In my head, my rebuke of _NO_ sounded much more forceful and determined.

"Yes," the voice answered with a gentle chuckle that felt like sunshine, "You must wake up now."

I tried desperate to hold on to the last of the grayness; to keep the tranquility wrapped around me, but it slipped away from me like tendrils of smoke. I felt and then heard my annoyed moan. As the last of the peaceful grayness fled from me, a kaleidoscope of frightening images and panicked feelings rushed it to take its place. At the center of the chaotic onslaught was a pair of unyielding crimson eyes; they were like two glowing coals that threaten to sear a hole straight through me and suck out my very soul. Pain and suffering and death were their promises; I knew they belonged to the platinum haired demon and I had to get away.

My eyes flew open only to be accosted by blinding white light. I struggled to get up and get away before the platinum haired Caius found me, but I was being restrained. Two sets of groping hand held me, trying to push me down … had the demon found me already, was he going to kill me now?

"Lillian!" The sound of my name being barked at me made me stop thrashing. A face appeared before me; an angel's face … was I dead already? The angel was perfect; his features were chiseled from unblemished white marble and they were framed by a crown of short hair the color of spun gold … and his eyes; two orbs of the finest amber that radiated all the love heaven could possibly hold. I knew this angel's face; I'd seen it before … he had a name, but I couldn't think of it.

"Lilly," he spoke quietly; there was worry in his musical voice, but now I recognized him … I remembered him.

"C …C …Car ….Carlisle," I managed to sputter; I was rewarded by him with a broad smile.

"There now," he soothed as his cool hand brushed the tangled hair away from my face, "Everything is alright; you're quiet safe."

I exploded forward and through my arms around him, embracing him as if my very life depended on clinging to him. He caught me, held me in his arms, and whispered soothing words into my hair even as I sobbed into the front of his shirt. He continued to hold me this way until the intensity of my outburst began to fade; only when I had calmed down considerably did he slacken his hold and attempt to settle me back against my pillow.

"There, there now," he whispered as I felt the back of my head touch the soft pillow, "It's alright child; there's nothing to be afraid of … no harm will come to you here."

"Where am I," I managed to mutter.

"Still in the Infirmary I'm afraid," he replied kindly as he tucked the bed cover back around me, "You were very … _unwell_, when I found you."

"Huuuhum." The slightly annoyed sound of someone clearing their throat made me turn my head. Esme was smiling at me from the chair beside my bed … I smiled back, I was happy to see her.

"Sorry Love," Carlisle apologized to his mate, "I am trying."

"I know," she replied sweetly as she got up and came to sit on the side of my bed. Soon the two of them were stationed like a pair of sentinels, one on either side of me.

"How do you feel, honey," he asked me cautiously as he cut a sideways glance at his mate.

"Better than earlier, I guess." It was the truth; I didn't feel like my heart was going to explode from beating too fast or that the air around me had suddenly vanished and I couldn't fill my lungs anymore. I briefly thought about Caius and felt my stomach attempt to turn itself inside out as my heart picked up its rhythm. My reaction garnered a set of concerned looks from Carlisle and Esme; I wondered if they were aware of the stereo quality of their expressions.

"Little one," Carlisle cooed as he gently took my hand between his, "I don't mean to upset you, but you must understand, when I found you, your condition … well, you were in quite a state, and I, well … I uhm, well that is to say, you …"

"What Carlisle is struggling to express," Esme interrupted softly as she took up my other hand, "Is that finding you in such a disconcerted state frighten him very much . . . which, I might add, is a difficult thing to accomplish when dealing with a four hundred year old vampire."

"I'm sorry," the last thing I ever wanted to do was frighten and upset the only two people in this whole place who cared about me.

Carlisle shook his head, "You have no reason to be sorry, child; the fault wasn't yours." He paused then, and an expression that seemed to be a cross between pained and thoughtful took over his face, "Would you tells us what happened; what on this side of heaven could possibly have had you literally scared within inches of your life?"

I took a moment, closing my eyes as I tried to get a handle on my feelings. As I remembered the events leading up to my being here, I felt the panic begin to rise like angry floodwaters, ready to drown me. I pushed the thoughts away and shook my head; I couldn't think about them let alone speak of them.

"Alright, now child," Carlisle soothed, "I'm going to help you, but you must cooperate with me."

I didn't know how he could possibly help me, but I nodded anyway.

"I want you to relax and listen to the sound of my voice Lilly," he crooned in an odd octave I'd never heard him use before. "Concentrate on it, let it fill you, imagine its warm rich presence slowly seeping into every nook and cranny of your being. Become one with my voice Lilly; live in it, breath because of it, trust it. My voice will keep you safe from all that would harm you; it will be a shield to protect you, a cloak to conceal you, warmth to sustain you. My voice is very powerful Lilly, let that power be in you and around you; I give it as my gift to you … I want to protect you, I want to make you safe … my voice can do that. Are you one with my voice Lilly?"

"Yes," I heard myself answer. I was floating once again, this time not in the gray place, but on the warm honey melody of Carlisle's voice. I didn't care what he asked of me, so long as his voice kept filling my ears and flowing through every part of my body … he could have my very life if he wanted it, if only . . .

"Lilly," my name vibrated through me all the way to the smallest cell. "You need not be afraid of anything, my voice is with you … it's within you, it's a part of you now and so nothing in this world can harm you … do you believe that Lilly?"

"Y … Y …Yes,"

"Now, in a moment I'm going to ask you about what caused you to be so afraid earlier today. This question won't cause you any distress at all; my voice is in you and around you, protecting you, and so you have no reason whatsoever to feel anxious or afraid. You will be able to answer me, and tell me what happened without becoming panicked … do you understand Lilly?"

"Yes, I'm safe," I muttered helplessly, "I can answer because your voice makes me safe."

"Very good child," He purred; his words of praise carried on the honey river of his voice made butterflies dance in my veins. "Now, tell me what happened earlier today; what caused you to be in such a state when I found you?"

I considered his question; the dream came back to me Caius' threat and Frank's laugh, bit wrapped in the cloak of Carlisle's voice, I wasn't afraid.

"Caius," I replied, "I was afraid to leave my apartment because Caius would find me and kill me."

"But you did leave your apartment," he insisted gently.

As I nodded, my imagination placed me in the hallway outside my apartment door; I watched myself inching along the wall, barely able to breathe because of my fear, and straining the limits of my human hearing to detect the slightest hint that anyone might be near. It was like watching a scene from a movie; I was aware of my panic, aware of my awful anxiety, but wrapped in the cloak of Carlisle's voice I could feel none of it.

"Yes," I answered as I continued to watch myself, "I crept along, waiting to be attacked at any moment, expecting Caius to leap from the shadows or appear from out of nowhere and eat me alive."

"And when I found you," he pressed.

"I couldn't go any further; my chest hurt so badly and I couldn't breathe anymore," I answered plainly; I was watching myself bent over double and heaving like I'd just run a marathon. Then another thought occurred to me, "I was upset with myself; I knew you and Esme were waiting for me with lunch, it was the reason I left my apartment in the first place . . . I didn't want to disappoint you."

"Then why did you try to run from me when I called you name?"

"I was so, so scared," a twist of fear stirred in the pit of my stomach as I answered him and I heard myself whimper.

"My voice is with you Lilly, you're quite safe," he reminded me. The twist of fear died away instantly. "Now, you were saying?"

"I was frightened and I didn't recognize it was you . . . not until you were standing over me and I saw your face." I remembered his face as it appeared to me then; kind and full of concern.

"I understand Lilly," he soothed, "there's no harm done. But tell me, in your fear driven state, did you think that perhaps I was Caius?"

I nodded, "Yes, I needed to escape so he wouldn't kill me."

"Hum, I see," he sounded thoughtful. "Well, I think you answered all my questions Lilly, thank you . . . you've done very well and I pleased with you," his praise made me glow inside. "Before we end our pleasant little chat, I have some instructions for you . . . are you paying attention?"

"Yes Carlisle."

"Good. Whenever you hear me say the phrase, _my voice is thy rod and thy staff_, no matter how anxious, panicked, or afraid you are those feelings will instantly vanish and a sense of calm and peace will replace it. However, you will only be aware of the fact that you feel suddenly calm, you will not be aware of why you feel that way. Do you understand my first instruction Lilly?"

I nodded, "yes."

"Thank you Lilly," he acknowledged my reply kindly. "In a few moments I'm going to count very slowly backwards from five to one; as I do so my voice will slowly seep back out of you and you will begin to wake up. You won't feel at all distress or upset by this. When I reach one I will snap my fingers and you will awaken; you will feel calm and relaxed, and you will remember most of what we discussed . . . you will not consciously remember the phrase that I gave you or even that I gave it to you, but it is embedded in your subconscious none the less. Do you understand these instructions, Lilly?"

I nodded again and I heard him begin to count slowly. His voice, which had seeped into me, filling me with a sense of warmth and security began to seep back out again. I retreated from me, just as the grayness had, until nothing was left of it, but strangely I still felt at ease.

SNAP

I suddenly found myself gazing up at Carlisle and Esme; their honey gold eyes firmly fixed on me. Why were they staring at me like that, had I done something? I felt my eyebrows crinkle as I tried to remember what I must have done to earn their combined glare. It came to me then; we were talking about what happened to me, why Carlisle found me having a panic attack by the Bernini.

"Are you alright honey," Carlisle asked softly.

I wasn't sure how to answer him as the course of what had just transpired slowly washed through my memory. "What did you do to me?" It wasn't an angry question, just a confused one.

"We are a predatory species Lilly," he answered me, and I could tell he was gauging his word carefully. "Our natural prey is the human animal. Because of this, we are equipped with certain physical traits that help us to be successful hunter of our prey; these we refer to as our natural allure. Our physical appearance is one of these . . ."

"You're both very beautiful, I've always thought so." Why I blurted that out I didn't know, but I felt very embarrassed suddenly and I could tell I was blushing. In spite of my mortification, the golden eyed pair smiled politely at me.

"It would seem that Lilly's still somewhat . . . under the influence," Esme observed with a giggle.

"Under the influence of what," What did she mean; was I still strung out on whatever drug Carlisle gave me earlier.

"If you'll let me finish my explanation," Carlisle insisted lightly. When I kept silent, he continued, "Though your senses of smell isn't acute enough to notice it, we also produce pheromones to attract you; these work best at close distances as they are most concentrated on our breath," then he bent forward and blew lightly on my face.

"It smells sweet, like flowers or ripe fruit . . . uhm, nice," They were giggling again and, once again, I felt foolish.

"And then of course," he continued, "there is our voice. Aside from our looks, this is likely our most formidable weapon to draw you in. To your ears, our voices have a musical quality, but when we are conversing as we are now you don't notice its seductive pull. But if I were attempting to draw you to me," he paused briefly and when he next spoke, his voice was in the odd octave I'd heard him use earlier, "my voice would sound more like this and you would be willing to do anything and everything that I suggested to you using this tone . . . including gleefully accepting your own death."

The sound of the odd octave left me feeling like my mind was shrouded in fog. When he stopped speaking, the fog began to dissipate and within a few minutes I was feeling better.

"Please don't do that again," I asked shyly. Carlisle's only response was a knowing smile that didn't leave me at all confidant.

"When the voice is combined with a bit of hypnosis," he sighed, "the results can be quite effective, as you've already seen."

"You hypnotized me," I squeaked, "I didn't think that mess was real."

My reaction made Carlisle chuckle, "My dear child, vampires have been hypnotizing humans for as long as humans and vampires have existed. What do you suppose all those novelist and screen writers were going on about when they portrayed a vampire's ability to _'compel'_ their human victims and bend them to their will . . . it's simply hypnosis enhanced by our natural allure."

I looked at him with an expression of wonder on my face, "I 'm not sure I'd want just any vampire hypnotizing me; anyone other than you doing it, and I pretty sure it won't end well … at least not for me, anyway. Is there a way to, you know, stop it . . . or avoid it, or something?"

"Avoid it indeed," he replied as he got up from the bed, "Perhaps, but that is a discussion for another time. Right now, Esme needs to feed you so that I can begin your new medication regimen and then you need to get some rest before Aro drops in to visit."

_**o0o0o0o0o0**_

_**AN: So I go the idea to link hypnosis enhanced by natural allure with the more traditional idea of vampiers being able to compel humans from something Edward said in the first Twilight book. He was telling Bella about how he could have had her follow him into the woods on that first day in Biology class. He told her that she would have went willingly ~ I don't recall the exact quote but he aluded to being able to "say the right things" to get her to follow. It seemed like a natural fit.**_


	17. Chapter 17

**Note: _I do not own or have rights to Twilight or its characters!_**

**Chapter 17**

**Lillian:**

The fact that I was cold and the need to visit the ladies room woke me from my sleep. I opened my eyes slowly, and was a bit disoriented when I realized I wasn't in my apartment.

"The infirmary," I muttered to myself as I through back the covers and sat up on the edge of the bed.

The room would have been pitch-black were it not for the pale blue nightlight Carlisle plugged into a receptacle on the far wall. I felt something cold and hard roll against my thigh; I looked down to discover it was the call buzzer. My mind shifted back to earlier in the evening when the honey eyed doctor had come by to say goodnight.

"I'm going across the hall to my apartment for a little while," he told me as he placed the call buzzer in my hand. "If you need me for any reason, just press the button and I'll come to help you." I remembered him chuckling at my confused scowl, "the buzzer sounds in my apartment as well in my office here in the clinic, little one. And don't be afraid of disturbing me … vampires don't sleep, so you won't be waking me up if you need help and call for me in the night."

Maybe I wouldn't wake him, but I could imagine that, being a married man, he was likely spending some quality time with Esme. I didn't want to think about what vampires might do together, behind closed doors, but whatever they might be up to I didn't want to be the party pooper. I eased myself slowly off the edge of the bed; my bear feet all too quickly came in contact with the cold linoleum floor. There must be a bathroom around here someplace, I thought as I inched quietly towards the door.

The hallway beyond my hospital room was as silent and eerie as a graveyard at midnight. There were no lights on and I didn't notice a light switch anywhere nearby. Leaving my room door open wide to allow the soft blue night light inside to cast what little luminance it could to my quest, I stepped into the hall. I'd never really paid much attention to the rabbit warren of halls and doors that made up the infirmary. The few times I'd passed through these corridors, I had been glued to Carlisle's elbow; he had been my guide through the maze and I trusted him completely.

As I moved further away from the comforting blue light that streamed from my room and deeper into the murky black abyss, I began checking doors. Of course, I was looking for a sign that might indicate a restroom, but I wasn't sure if such a place would actually be marked in a world run _by and for_ vampires; looking for an unlocked door was the next best thing. Besides, an unlocked room might give me access to another light switch and more illumination for my search.

I moved slowly and quietly; why I felt the need to be so cautious I didn't know. As far as I could tell, I had the place to myself. Every door I tried was locked and by now, I was so far from my room that the soft blue glow of the night light seemed nonexistent. About a dozen paces head of me, a muted flickering glow seeped from under a door on the left side of the hall. Even from this distance I could hear the muffled sound of voices and laughter that played in time to the flickering light dancing from under the door ~ there was a TV on in that room. Maybe it was Carlisle's office, maybe he was up doing whatever paperwork doctors do, or maybe he just forgot to turn it off before going home to visit Esme. It didn't really matter much to me why the TV was on; I made a beeline for the door as if it were an oasis in the middle of a desert.

I knocked, but no one answered. "Carlisle," I whispered, knowing he would hear me if he was behind the door ~ still nothing. A few moments later, I worked up the nerve to try the knob and found that it turned freely; the door was unlocked. I opened the door slowly and the dancing glow from the TV flooded out to great me; for a moment, the light had me blinded.

When I could see again, I studied the room through the half opened door. It wasn't Carlisle's office after all; instead it was another hospital room … and it was occupied. A figure was sitting up in the room's narrow bed, in the poor light I couldn't make out an identity.

"Sorry," I apologized quietly, "I was looking for the ladies room."

The bed's occupant didn't speak, but motioned with his hand to invite me in. I was hesitant as I didn't know who this person was but then again, maybe he'd been all alone in the hospital for a while with no one to visit and cheer him up. I remembered the time I broke my ankle playing softball when I was in the sixth grade; even though I was in pain and scared it was so nice when Coach Stephens brought the team around to my hospital room window to see me. Kids weren't allowed on the floor, but my Doc made the suggestion to him that, because I had a ground floor room, no one could stop them from visiting that way. The doctor even stepped in and opened the window so my teammates could say hello.

I swallowed my fear and inched a little closer to the bed. "Uhm, I didn't mean to wake you," I insisted. "Do you want some water or something?"

A chuckle that sounded more like crunching gravel escaped the bed's occupant. "Don't you recognize me Baby," he asked in a hoarse voice.

In spite of the hoarseness, I could never forget that voice. "Frank," I hissed before turning to the door.

"Wait, don't go," he called softly. My better judgment told me to keep moving, but I stopped anyway. "It's so nice to have visitors," he went on, "Don't get me wrong, the Doc takes good care of me and all, but I can tell he doesn't really like me … he always cuts me that disapproving glare when he comes in here."

"Maybe you should try talking to him," I grunted, "He's a nice guy."

Frank laughed and it was the most unsettling sound I'd ever heard. "Why would I do that, the stupid vamp doctor thinks I can't talk … your owner Aro nearly choked the life out of me after he sent you away. The longer I can keep up the act, the longer I have to live."

"Carlisle is not stupid!" I found myself growling angrily; it hurt me to hear Frank talk bad about such a kind and gentle man. "He's kind and compassionate and he tries to help the people here as much as he can. He …"

The unsettling laughter erupted again from Frank's throat interrupting my defense of Carlisle. "You like him," he commented sourly, "Damn; you're a bigger idiot that I thought."

"And you're an asshole," I fired back, "You and your dumb friends … you're nothing but a bunch of immature assholes! I was minding my own business, why couldn't you leave me alone?"

"Like I told you then Baby, we just wanted to have a little fun," he replied casually. "You were the one who overreacted. If you would have just come with us back to my apartment … my boys and I could have gotten our needs meet and, you never know, you might have actually enjoyed it ~ I'm not so bad in the love department."

"Ugh, you're worse than an asshole," I groaned. "Do I look like a prostitute to you … is there anything about me or the way I carry myself that just screams Hooker?" I groaned again in disgust; this guy was impossible.

"Do you dress like you're ready for the red light district … no. Do you act like a total slut … no. But you're a female and you're new to The Colony … so my boys and I wanted to be the first to, uhm, check out the goods."

"You know what …" I stopped before I said anything more in spite of the tirade of insulting remarks that flared all at once inside my head. I pushed them all away; it wouldn't matter what I said to this guy, he was a total jerk and nothing would change that. Instead I turned for the door in silence.

"They're gonna' kill me Baby, and it's all your fault because you overreacted to an invitation to party." I froze in my tracks with my hand on the door knob; did he just blame me for getting him in trouble … this dude was worse than an impossible jerk.

"That's right Baby … the three vamp kings and their court of bloodsucking fools will hold a little trial for me, just to look all legal and fair and shit, and then I get my neck broken in front of the whole Colony," Then he paused and added, "All thanks to you, Baby. Tell me, how does it feel to have blood on your hands?"

I just stood there; I couldn't move … was he really saying that Aro and the others would kill him because I wouldn't submit to having sex with them.

"Do me a favor … consider it a last request," he went on, "reach up and feel the back of your neck; on the right where you neck meets your shoulder."

Absently I complied; my fingers found an array of small raised lines. Those weren't there before I arrived here; I knew my body well enough to be sure of that.

From behind me, Frank chuckled. "Your kind compassionate doctor did that to you back when you first arrived … its birth control, Baby, implanted under your skin. Every female in The Colony has it, so you can screw around and not get pregnant."

I didn't turn around because I didn't want him to see the hurt look on my face. I guess he interpreted my silence as an indication I wanted to hear more.

"Did you ever watch Pinocchio when you were a kid … do remember Pleasure Island where anything and everything goes," he sneered. "Well you're there Baby … this is it! But instead of turning us into Jackasses to get sold to the coal mines, like in the movie ~ we're gonna die here. So the bloodsuckers give us the best of everything; whatever we want or need to keep us happy. You want good food: you can eat until your guts explode. You want liquor; you can have it by the gallon. You want drugs; you can get them if you know who to talk to … anything you can think of to smoke, snort, pop, or shoot-up. You want sex; go for it … so long as all parties involved are agreeable to it, you can fuck all you like." He paused a moment and then added, "What's the matter Baby; didn't Aro tell you any of this?"

"Shut-up!" I growled as I turned around. "I wasn't agreeable you ass … wasn't that obvious to your sick twisted mind when I said I just wanted to go back to my apartment! I don't want food, or alcohol, or dope, or sex … I _**want**_ to go home! I want my life back and I want to forget that this place, and vampires, and _**YOU**_ ever existed. That's what I want you moron, but I can't have it … I can't …"

"What's going on here?" Carlisle's voice startled me as he walked up behind me; I nearly jumped out of my skin. "Easy," he shushed as he took me by the elbow, "I didn't mean to startle you." He cast a wary glance at Frank before addressing me further, "Why are you out of bed child?"

"Bathroom," I squeaked.

"I see," he murmured thoughtfully, "Come and I'll show you where it is." He led me towards the door but paused a moment and turned to Frank, "I'll be sure to alert Aro and his brothers to your miraculous recovery, Frank; I'm certain the Volturi Lords will enjoy a nice long chat with you very soon."

"Are you alright," Carlisle asked once we were out of the room and down the hall.

I nodded.

"What are you doing up at this hour," he inquired again.

"I needed the bathroom and I couldn't find it in the dark," I explained.

"You should have used the buzzer Lilly," he insisted solemnly, "it would have avoided much unpleasantness." Then he pointed to an unmarked door that I hadn't bothered to try earlier, "In there, the light switch will be at chest height and to your right," he instructed, "I'll wait for you."

I took my time in the ladies room, stopping to wash not only my hands when I was done, but my face as well. When I exited, Carlisle was leaning against the wall with his arms crossed waiting for me. He didn't flash me his usual warm smile and I wondered if he might be angry with me.

'_He implanted birth control in your neck without your consent goof-ball; it's you who ought to be mad at him,'_ my inner voice hissed. I wanted to be angry; I certainly had every right to be, but for some reason I just couldn't.

He escorted me the rest of the way back to my room and helped me into bed. "Did you hear what he said to me," I finally asked when I couldn't stand his silent treatment anymore.

"A good enough portion of it to be able to infer what I didn't get to hear, why," he inquired as he arranged my covers.

I touched the place on my neck where I discovered the raised lines, "Is it true?"

He looked at me briefly and his eyes were filled with sadness; he nodded.

"Because you expected me to … to …" I couldn't even say it. "I've never been with a boy … ever."

"Of course I didn't think that, Lilly," he sighed. "You're a descent sort of girl who is comfortable with her personal values and has a healthy self esteem. There are however, reasons other than the prevention of pregnancy that make the implantation a standard procedure for females coming into The Colony."

"Like what," I wanted to know why he thought it was necessary to violate my personal rights.

His left eyebrow quickly shot up, and I knew he was startled by my questioning of him. "You live in an environment populated by beings whose nourishment comes from human blood … the very smell of it, no matter how slight, can inflame their desire to feed. As a healthy adolescent human female, you spend five to seven days out of every month on your cycle … a time when you bleed. The birth control implanted in your neck limits your cycles to three a year and you'll only spot a bit each time. It's for your protection Lilly; to keep you safe from the bloodlust that the scent of you would elicit in others of my kind."

I suppose he had a point, I thought. "I guess," I allowed the matter of the implant to drop in favor of another topic, "but Frank made this place sound like a regular Sodom and Gomorrah … was he telling the truth?"

Carlisle sighed again, "You have a lot of questions in the wake of your encounter with Frank, don't you child?" I nodded and watched as he ran his hand nervously through his short blond hair. "As I thought," he muttered. "If I promised to answer all your questions over breakfast tomorrow … would you go back to sleep?"

"Maybe," I replied and then quickly added, "Will I die here?"

"Lilly, please …"

"Don't dismiss me; I hate it when people dismiss me," I grumped.

"Now Lilly, you don't really want to …"

"Oh no you don't," I cut him off sharply; his voice had slipped into the hypnotic octave that he use on me earlier. "I'm wise to that trick now … no more hypnotizing without my consent!"

To my surprise he chuckled at my sharp comments. "Very well, little one," he finally acknowledged. "If I answer this one complicated and rather depressing question for you now, will you sleep on the rest of your questions until morning?"

I nodded, "Deal."

"It grieves my heart immensely to say this child, but yes you will die here in The Colony." His words were plainly honest, but tempered with tenderness and regret. "How long you live will depend greatly on many things; how well you're looked after, your own personal mental and physical constitution, your adherence to the rules, and of course, your avoidance of the vices that Frank mentioned to you.

"As your physician …" he paused and I could see he was reconsidering what he wanted to say. "I hope I am more to you than simply your physician; you certainly mean more to me that just a patient. Esme and I are deeply enamored of you and we hope that you can consider us just as strongly." I was touched and couldn't help sitting up and embracing him; I was thrilled when he gladly accepted my gesture of affection. "I'll do everything I can to ensure that you're well cared for, Lilly," he insisted as he continued to hold me, "there is no end that I won't go to in order to give you the longest and happiest life that you can possibly have in this abysmal place. If Esme and I had our way, you would be free of this place, but we are as much in bondage here as you are."

"Thank you," I muttered into his shirt.

A few minutes later he eased me back against my pillow and pulled my covers up again; his warm affectionate smile had returned to his lips and it danced in his eyes. "Sleep now," he insisted gently, "Esme will come for you in the morning and you can shower in our apartment. Once you've cleaned up and had a change of clothes, we'll continue our discussion over breakfast."

"Will you stay with me until I fall asleep," I suddenly didn't wish to be alone.

"Certainly," he replied with a nod and then he shifted from the edge of my bed where he had been sitting to the chair Esme had occupied earlier. "I'll be right here."


	18. Chapter 18

**NOTE:** _**I do not own or have rights to Twilight or its characters!**_

**Chapter 18**

**Aro**

It had been my intention to visit Lillian in the infirmary, however a late meeting of the Court was convened over a distressing situation among the covens of New Orleans. By the time we adjourned for the evening so that Caius and I could discuss the matter with our mates, the hour was far too late to visit a human. Knowing Carlisle, he likely had Lillian tucked in for the night before 10 pm. It was now seven thirty in the morning and I was looking forward to joining my precious one for a visit over breakfast. Before making my way to the infirmary, I decided a quick stop by my office for a thirst quenching pint or two was in order. My thirst was well within the limits of what I considered "controlled", but the medical complex reeked of human blood and I wanted to take no chances; especially when matters of Lillian were involved.

I left my office feeling refreshed. unfortunately it would be another week and a half before I could sample Lillian's delightful essence again. No sooner had this thought crossed my mind than I found my self feeling horribly guilty. In my entire four thousand year existence I had never once felt guilt or shame over my nature or how I gained my sustenance. In fact I'd chided my friend Carlisle over such feelings, insisting the desire for human blood was as natural for us as breathing was for a human. Yet in spite of my past steadfast insistence that we had a right to hunt and live according to the demands of our nature; in the light of my feelings for Lillian, my self assurance was eroding. Was I on the verge of becoming a "vegan vampire" like my long time friend … not likely. The thought of existing for another four thousand years on a diet of hind's blood was totally repugnant to me; I would rather be dismembered and burned. I couldn't deny, however, that I was having serious issues with regard to imbibing in the blood of my human daughter.

As I rounded the corner, I dismissed the internal debate as one that I would have to take up again with Carlisle. Suddenly I was face to face with Caius; in fact nearly ran slap into him. He just stood there like a statue, glaring at me with the most annoying satisfied smirk on his face.

"My, my," he finally cooed in a most patronizing tone, "we are distracted aren't we, Aro; Marcus was right about you."

"I would not be distracted, Caius, if you were not in my way," I insisted in my own defense. "And as for the opinions of that old tortoise, he should keep them to himself. His ancient mind is as scrambled as an egg."

When I tried to step around Caius, he moved with me, continuing to block my path, "I don't think so Aro … I observed your level of distraction last night in Court. It's the delectable smelling girl that you stole from us; she is the source of your current state of inattention."

"Caius, I do not mind your affairs when it comes to your stock … please afford me the same courtesy." With that I tried once more to step around him and once more he blocked me.

"Do you even miss it," he hissed.

"Miss what," I was going to miss Lillian's breakfast if this idiot didn't get out of my way.

"The stupid looks on their faces as they entered the throne room," he began and I watched as his eyes glazed over; he slipped into his memories recounting the vivid images that danced before his mind's eye."The overpowering scent of their fear as they suddenly realized what was about to happen to them, the panicked screams cut short by the gurgling of blood mixing with air as your teeth ripped into the flesh of their throats, the sweat taste of their life's essence laced with tart adrenalin washing over your tongue~ a flavor that only their extreme fear could elicit. We are predators Aro, but your experiment in agronomy has reduced the once proud rulers of the vampire world to wretched farmers. Where we were once lions mighty we are now pathetic shepheards."

Caius' argument wasn't a new one, he had been opposed to the Colony from the outset. He would have preferred other, more drastic, alternatives ~ a scaling back of the guard to only those most essential and highly gifted, a systematic culling of vampires world wide to reduce our overall numbers, and strict limits on the creation of newborns. When Marcus sided with me in a two to one vote in favor of founding the Colony, Caius prophesied gloom and doom and our destruction as the eventual outcome of what deemed_ my folly._ He would enjoy nothing better than to witness the Colony's ultimate failure and to rub that failure in my face.

"My vision of a better brighter future has helped us maintain our secret," I corrected sharply.; how dare he question the very thing which had saved us. "Or have you forgotten the difficulties we encountered; 30, 40, or more humans disappearing all at once so that we might feast ,,, the questions posed by family members concerning their missing loved ones, _**Interpol**_ at our very doorstep snooping around like a pack of hounds. And let us not forget what a nightmare disposing of the remains had become; the catacombs filled up centuries ago and the bodies we dumped into the Aegean were starting to wash ashore every so often. All that was required to expose us to the human world was for one imaginative Medical Examiner …"

"We are a laughing stock" he interrupter in an angry growl. "We are weaker because of your vision! How long do you think it will be before another coven does to us what we did to the Romanians? I don't know about you Aro, but I prefer to be on the winning side of a revolution than to be the dispatched regime."

"What do you want me to do Caius," I sighed. "I cannot change the world we exist in … I cannot make the humans go back to the Dark Ages. We live in a world of the Internet where information spreads across the globe faster than the Black Death swept through Europe … I cannot stop this, no matter how much it might make our existence easier."

"Kill the girl," he whispered softly.

"What?"

"You asked what I wanted you to do," he replied casually, "Kill the girl. Bring her into the throne room and take her … the old way, the way you used to take your prey when you were true to your nature … sink your teeth into her tender flesh and drink her essence until none remains."

For several moments I stood blinking at Caius; was he mad? I could never do such an appalling thing to Lillian. "Out of my way," I barked. "I knew you were jealous, but I had no idea just how depraved you jealousy made you. You are …"

"Kill the girl," he interrupter with his sick demand. "Prove to the vampire world that Aro and the Vulturi are still strong, that we are still a force to be reckoned with."

A low growl rumbled deep in my chest; how dare this insolent pup make such outrageous demands of me. While my face remained a mask of serenity, inside I was a seething caldron waiting to biol over; the only outward sing of my furry was the rhythmic clenching and un-clintching of my fists.

"I have nothing to prove to anyone Caius," I whispered calmly, "and I especially have nothing to prove to you." This time I barged past him, pushing him roughly aside as I went, he was lucky that I didn't …..

"Vegan," Caius sneered from behind me. "You're pathetic Aro; no better than Carlisle and his deer blood drinking coven of freaks. Why don't you join them Brother, you're nearly there anyway with your dainty habit of drinking blood from a child's cup. I wonder how your mate will feel when you come home reeking of deer blood … will she still find you attractive, will she still lust after your body when …"

I felt myself come undone. A part of me already regretted my loss of control; I would hear about this from Marcus. Nothing pleased the old turtle more than to spend endless hours engrossed in a lecture. Still, I couldn't honestly say that I was sorry; Caius pushed me well beyond my breaking point, Before he could finish his sentence, I turned and lepta across the distance that separated us. My hand found his throat as we crashed together into the nearest wall … it would be so easy to destroy him, all that was required was for me to squeeze and twist.

To my great surprise, Caius began to laugh. Then his thoughts slowly filtered into my head. He did indeed want Lillian dead; if I would not surrender her into his keeping, he intended to ensure that she didn't remain long in mine. He would find a way to end her life thus inflicting his punishment on me. But these thoughts were not the ones that surprised me; what shocked me was his level of amusement concerning his current predicament ~ he'd planed it, and I fell right into his little game. He sensed me coming up the corridor and stood motionless in wait for me. The moment I slammed into him, I became his play thing and his intent all along had been to goad me.

I hissed angrily as I released him from my grip. "Reckless buffoon," I growled as I turned and strode away. Though he said nothing further, I could hear his continued laughter echoing from behind me. It took all my control not to run back and finish ripping his head off.

By the time I reached the Infirmary, I was just putting the last of my irritation under mental lock and key. I didn't want to appear in any way anoyed when I visited Lillian; I was beginning to realise just how sensitive she was to the emotional energies that others around her exuded. As I entered the modest clinic, Lillian's delightful scent filled my nose and sent a wave of calm through me; what remained of my anger over Caius' insolence evaporated like fog.

I followed her scent, past the plain door that separated the waiting area from the clinic proper, down a number of twisting halls, until I arrived outside her hospital room. As I walked up, the door to her room opened and Lillian stepped out into the hall; the lovely Esme was at her elbow giving her aid.

"Good morning _il mio fiore_, " I sighed brightly, then I nodded to her escort, "good morning Esme."

"Good morning Aro," Esme replied, she seemed a bit flustered by my unexpected appearance.

"Is everything alright," I inquired with concern. "Where are you ladies off to at such an early hour?"

"Esme and I thought Lilly might enjoy a nice hot shower before breakfast," Carlisle's voice preceded him as he came out of his office to join us in the hall. "The ladies are going over to our apartment so that Lilly can use our shower. While she gets cleaned up, Esme will make breakfast for her."

"Splendid," I cooed, but then a thought occurred to me. Thought then question might seem foolish, I really knew only the rudiments of human behaviour, "Is this something humans enjoy," I asked shyly, "erh, uhm .. a hot shower before breakfast, I mean?"

"Immensely," Carlisle answered with a kind chuckle.

"Excuse me," Lillian interrupted in a soft slightly timid voice, "Don't you bathe?"

"Of course we do child," Carlisle answered her, even before my mind could think of what to say, "but vampires don't take bathes for all the same reasons that humans do."

I marveled at the easy manor in which Carlisle handled Lillian. He was completely relaxed and confidant; not at all put off about discussing his vampire nature with his very human charge. His answer had been honest so as to satisfy her curiosity without containing any extraneous details likely to frighten her. But perhaps most impressive of all was the speed with which he replied; I was still considering how best to answer her when he spoke.

"Esme, why don't you and Lilly go on to the apartment," Carlisle insisted, drawing me from my thoughts. "I need to have a brief word with Aro. We should be through by the time Lilly's had her shower and we'll join you ladies at the table."

With a nod from his mate, she and Lillian disappeared leaving Carlisle and I alone in the hall. When he gestured towards his open office door I dumbly walked in; I was still in awe of his ease with Lillian. I had never considered this aspect of father hood before; the fact that communication was essential in a parent/child relationship and that I was rather inept at communicating in any real way with a human.

"How do you do it?" I asked in an awed whisper.

Carlisle laughed lightly, "I have years of experience when it comes to dealing with humans Aro; I'm a physician, it comes with the territory."

"I know, but you speak to her of vampires as if we are just another kind of human; as if it is of no consequence at all," his ease truly did amaze me and I shook my head, " the way you answered her question and your knowing she would want a shower … I do not think I would know to do these things."

He pointed to one of the leather chairs in front of his desk even as he took a seat in the other one, "Remember that my granddaughter is half human and that ,for all intents and purposes, Bella was a human member of our family long before she joined us as a vampire. These experiences coupled with my years in the medical field afford me a cornucopia of of knowledge to draw from." he smiled warmly at me then and added, "Don't worry old friend, it will come to you in time. Believe it or not, we retain our human parental instincts post transformation, though I suspect, given your age, yours are quite deeply buried. Open yourself to those instincts and they will come back to you … and another bit of advice that may seem somewhat counter intuitive, but let Lilly teach you what she needs in a father."

"Now," he went on as he took another breath, "You had something else you wished to discuss with me?"

"I am beginning to wonder who is truly the mind reader between us," I commented dryly.

"I read your expressions and your body language Aro, not your thoughts," he replied. "When I stepped into the hall, you expression suggested that some other matter had you somewhat out of sorts."

I briefly replayed my earlier encounter with Caius before taking a deep, "I fear that my insanely jealous brother truly means harm to come to Lillian. He challenge me to prove my fitness as a vampire and a Volturi Lord by attacking Lillian and devouring her essence in the throne room before the assembled Court."

"Oh dear," he muttered sadly as he lowered his head into his palm, "Please tell me that you didn't ,,,"

"Of course not," I grumped. "The man is insane. That is a demand that I would never make of another nor submit to myself."

I watched as visible relief spread through Carlsile's ridge body. When he looked up at me again, sadness and concern filled his eyes, "Unfortunately, I fear that our Lilly is extremely astute; she senses Caius' open hostility … she knows that he wishes her dead and it is the source of her anxiety."

"My brother wouldn't dare cause her direct harm; she's safe here in the Colony, surely she knows this," I insisted, more to myself than Carlisle.

"For a human, what they know in their heads and what they feel in their hearts are often two very different things," he answered in an exacerbated sigh. "She will likely continue to harbor anxiety until she actually sees that she is safe and no longer feels a threat from Caius."

I fell into silence as my mind began to work; short of destroying Caius, how could I make her feel safe? Assurances would be of little value, she had received many of these already to no avail. There was a notion that stood out to me; a thought that I had been toying with since the night I asked Sulpicia to be a mother to Lillian. It began more as a flight of fancy, a sort of pleasant daydream of how life for the three of us as mother, father, and daughter might be. Unfortunately, as a contingency plan, it was an idea that I wasn't sure either my wife or my daughter would be open to. In fact I wasn't entirely sure that Sulpicia and I could stand it from a physical prospective.

"We should probably go to the apartment now," Carlisle sighed heavily as he got up from his chair. "Lilly should be finished with her shower by now."

I got up and followed him, but my mind continued to turn my plane over, examining it from every angle. I would have to act on it quickly, to ensure Lillian's peace and security; I was still unsure how to broach the subject with her. How she would react to my proposal was yet another nagging question; I could only hope for the best.

As we reached Carlisle's apartment door, a new thought occurred to me,"After breakfast, if Lillian is well enough, I would like to take her for a walk"

"That should be fine so long as you avoid crowds," he answered as he reached for the door knob, "Did you have some destination in mind?"

"Yes, I want to show her Sulpicia's garden," I purred proudly, "I think she will enjoy it very much."

Carlisle turned to me with a broad grin on his lips, "I think that's a wonderful idea Aro, I'm sure she will find the garden a place of pure delight … only' " his smile shrunk slightly as he paused, "Don't keep her out too long, she still needs rest."

"But, of course," I replied as we entered the apartment.


	19. Chapter 19

**Note:** _**I do not own or have rights to Twilight or it's characters**_

_Yeah, my first chapter completed on my new laptop! Back in mid July my old Toshiba died after five years of faithful service ... I felt like a good friend had passed away, but her hard drive lives on as an external device ;)~. I'm such a geek! Anyhow I give you Sulpicia's garden ~~ Enjoy_!

Chapter 19

Lillian

The breakfast table was a tad bit awkward: three vampires watching a lone human eat pancakes and sausage. Weird didn't begin to describe how I felt. And then of course there were all the questions I'd intended to ask Carlisle; these were tabled now on my mental back burner because I didn't feel comfortable asking them in front of Aro. And so they watched and I continued to eat; if by some stroke of luck I ever did escape the Colony I would never visit the zoo at feeding time again.

"She looks better," Aro observed. I sensed he was somewhat uncomfortable with the silence that hung over the table.

"The medication I've started her on will require sever days to build to the appropriate level in her system," Carlisle replied in his doctor's tone, "But so far I'm pleased."

I gave Carlisle what I hoped was a pleading look; all he had to do was say the word and I could retreat to my room … for medical reasons. Unfortunately he misunderstood the meaning of my look.

"Don't worry about the little talk we planned to have over breakfast," he assured me. "We'll have it at another time."

"Talk," Aro questioned, "What talk; is there something going on that I need to know about?"

"I'm sorry Aro," Carlisle apologized sincerely, "but I can't discuss that with you … it would violate the Doctor/Patient Privilege."

"You do realize of course that all I need do is touch you and your Doctor/Patient Privilege evaporates like smoke." my owner commented as he crossed his arms and glared menacingly at Carlisle.

"Of course, but it wouldn't be my privacy that you would be invading … it would be Lilly's," Carlisle chided; he seemed totally unimpressed by Aro's posturing. "Do you really wish to do that," he added in a warning tone of his own. Had my grandpa Brandon spoken to me in that tone, things would get really unpleasant for me if I continued doing whatever it was that had Pap-Paw ticked off.

There was a pause and I watched Aro's face; his expression was one of conflict. I could sense how torn he was; a part of him wanting to know every single detail about every single thing where it concerned me while at the same time another part of him wished to afford me some measure of privacy. He glanced at me briefly and I had an opportunity to look into his crimson eyes. I found even more startling emotions lurking there; genuine concern born, not out of the simple fact that I was his property, but concern for another reason … he really cared.

I took a startled breath and dropped my gaze to my breakfast plate. Fire burned in my cheeks as I blushed, I hoped it would go unnoticed but I doubted that it would. Thankfully, no one commented and I finished my breakfast in peace. It wasn't until Esme was clearing away my dishes that Aro chose to speak again.

"Every morning I like to take a nice leisurely walk," he began with what I could only describe as a purr in his voice, "I was hoping that this morning, my precious Lillian might join me in my sojourn."

I glanced at Carlisle, hoping for relief, but instead he smiled warmly and gave me a small nod.

"A walk will do you good child," he insisted when I continued to stare at him. "It will get you out of your drab old hospital room for a while."

"Speaking of getting out," Aro stood as he spoke, "When can she be discharged from the infirmary?"

"I should think tomorrow evening," the doctor answered thoughtfully, "If she continues to do well."

Before I knew what was going on, Aro was helping me from my seat and offering me his elbow. We left Carlisle and Esme's apartment together and, for some time, we strolling down broad colonnades. Every so often Aro would stop our walk and point out things he though interesting; all the while as we walked he told me stories pulled from his four thousand years' worth of existence. His behavior and openly talkative mood reminded me of the night, just a few days past, when he brought and served me diner while singing Toreador.

Finally we came to a rather plain door at the end of a long corridor.

"This is what I wanted to show you," he informed me with pride as he reached for the door knob.

"What's in there," lots of possibilities came to mind in answer to that question including a brief thought of Caius lurking beyond the plain wooden door; waiting to kill me.

"Paradise," he answered before throwing open the door. Warm humid air rushed out to greet me bringing with it the smell of damp earth and flowers. "After you, il mio fiore,"

He stood holding the door open; waiting for me to enter. For several moments I didn't move, instead I searched his features as I tried to find any sign that might indicate danger. Eventually my curiosity got the better of me and I stepped across the waiting threshold …. and in doing so, I stepped into another reality.

The world beyond the modest entrance was flooded with light and awash in every hue of green one could imagine. Lush foliage surrounded me on three sides making it difficult to tell the true size of the space in any direction … in any direction except up anyway. As my eyes followed the nearest colossal tree to its upper most bows, I took notice of the glass and wrought iron celling looming above the green leaves. The height of the beautiful glass ceiling was dizzying; it sored to at least four stories. I was amazed as the heavy panes of glass seemed to float gracefully between their ornate wrought iron supports just inches above the tree tops.

"Welcome to Sulpicia's Garden," I heard him purr proudly. In my enthralled state, the best I could manage as an answer to him was a nod.

Before us was a red brick pathway that led into the heart of the indoor jungle. Just beyond the margins of the paved path, plants of every size and description occupied the available space. Some of them clung low to the musty scented earth crawling to cover its surface like masses of leafy serpents. Still others tried, with varying amounts of success, to break free of the earth's unyielding pull; some managed only a few inches while others attained heights of several feet. Towering above everything, the forest of massive trees seemed very much at home as their branches stretched towards the glass capped heavens.

"Come my precious, there is more to see," Aro insisted quietly as he took my elbow and led me forward along the path.

"More," I stuttered.

He chuckled brightly, "Yes, much more."

I allowed myself to be led; I felt a little like a small child visiting Disneyland for the first time. Excitement churned the pit of my stomach as we moved into the thick of the trees. We hadn't gone more than a few dozen yards when a flash of brilliant azure and the fluttering of feathers startled me; I ducked just in time. When I looked up a large blue parrot was just settling himself on a nearby tree branch; as I continued to watch him, he began to preen. My gaze reluctantly shifted from the bird to Aro.

It seemed that he found my gawking expression very entertaining as he began to laugh. "There are twenty species of bird living here in the Garden. The hansom fellow there is a Glaucous Macaw; we have four of them ~ two mated pairs … they are, however, extinct in the wild."

The gorgeous blue bird looked me over skeptically before cawing loudly and leaping into the sky. I stood motionless as I watched him sail away; disappearing into the trees.

"How big is this place," I muttered.

"The building which houses the Garden is a replica of the Crystal Palace which was built for the 1851 World's Exposition in London," he paused and then added, "with a few modifications of course. The ceiling in this building is a bit higher than the original so as to accommodate the trees."

I felt him tug gently at my elbow indicating it was time to move on; I took a reluctant step in answer to his insistence. All I really wanted to do was stand still and absorb my surroundings. Aro kept talking as we walked, giving me the particulars of the Garden's dimensions; height, width, length and total square footage under the roof. I listed, but only halfheartedly; I was far more interested in the plants, flowers and massive trees we passed along the way. One specimen in particular made me stop in spite of Aro's continued pull, a hibiscus whose blood red flower was the largest I'd ever seen ~ it was larger even than the serving platter my grandmother brought our Thanksgiving turkey to the table on.

As I reached to touch the flower something struck me in the top of the head; a freshly stripped mango pit lay at my feet. When I looked up again, nine tiny mustached faces peered back at me from among the leafy branches; their combined glare made me shutter. The nearest little creature opened its mouth and let out a rather strange sounding cry that his companions soon took up; the air was now filled with their high pitched shrills. Another mango pit sailed my way, hurled by one of the angry mustached animals. This time however, Aro's stony hand shot out to catch the object before it could strike me; he laughed as he tossed it to the ground.

"What are they," I asked quietly without taking my eyes off them. The one who had led the shirking and hurled the initial mango pit at me moved from behind it's leafy shield and out onto an open section of branch. No longer obscured by the dense foliage, I could see more clearly the animals' dark grey fur and distinctive long white mustache.

"They are Emperor Tamarins from the jungles of South America." he informed me. "Like every resident of Sulpicia's garden they are highly endangered."

"What else lives here," I asked nervously, "are there tigers or bears?"

My question elicited another amused chuckle from Aro. "No," he finally replied, "there are no tigers or bears, or any other large predator here in the Garden ~ only birds, tamarins, small monkeys, lizards, and beneficial insects. Oh, and I nearly forgot, there are also some amphibians and fish."

"How … I mean, why," I stuttered as we moved forward along the path once more.

"It all began with an Orchid," he sighed. "I was in Brazil on Court business ~ very seldom does Sulpicia travel with me, she prefers to remain in the safety and seclusion of the Palace. At this time we were still living in the old city of Voltare; long before the Colony was even a thought in my head." he paused to take a breath, "Anyway, as I said, I was in Brazil and our wedding anniversary was up coming upon my return to Italy. I wished to bring back from my travels, a gift befitting my beloved … one that would both express my unyielding affection as well as testify to the rare and wonderful nature of my Sulpicia."

I couldn't help but smile. When I'd been their guest the other night, it was easy to see the deep love that existed between them. In spite of knowing the full and gruesome nature of what they truly were, I still found a measure of beauty in Aro and Sulpicia's relationship ~ not unlike the way many people find beauty in the deadly grace of a leopard.

"Of course," he continued, "I first considered precious stones or gold, but of these my beloved has vaults full. Then I considered exotic fabrics or other luxurious items but these I thought to be too common to express my beloved's most uncommon splendor." He paused a moment and sighed, "And then, I saw the orchid ~ it was rare and delicate and as glorious in its wild beauty as my beloved Sulpicia. I knew from the moment I spied it that the flower was the only suitable gift to give my mate on the occasion of our anniversary.

"When I presented the flower to my beloved, she was ecstatic … never before had I seen her face so illuminated by a token of my affection. Thus began her magnificent obsession with the botanical world. I built her a small green house in the courtyard of our old residence and she took up the study of Botany at the local university. Today, as a result, she holds several PhD's in various fields relating to plants and ecology, and has a deep interest in the fate of the world's rain forests. When we moved to the Colony I had this structure built for her … and I can see already that a new expansion is required."

We were now in what I could only guess to be near the heart of the massive garden. Without glancing up at the tree tops and catching fleeting glimpses of the iron and glass ceiling, it would be easy to lose reality in this place. Engulfed in this dazzling sea of exotic green, one could forget that this artificial environment was a wondrous copy of the natural world constructed by vampires and existing adjacent to the walking blood farm they referred to as the Colony. In spite of my continued awe at the mass and beauty of the garden, this strange paradox was not at all lost on me. From what I could observe, the juxtaposition of otherworldly beauty and the ugly specter of death seemed to permeate everything it meant to be a vampire.

Suddenly we took an unexpected turn off the wider main path onto a smaller one; veering to the right as we went. "'I'm going to show you what I consider the crown jewel of the garden," he insisted cheerfully.

We followed the much narrower path and were forced to proceed single file; on several occasions I had to duck under low hanging branches. The dense growth made me think of the mangrove swamps around Mobile … and some of their less than cuddly inhabitants.

"Uhm, Aro," I voiced hesitantly, "Are there any, you know, snakes in the garden?"

"Serpents in Eden," he chuckled from in front of me, "perish the thought! Of course not child, they would pose a threat to the nestlings and eggs of some of the valuable birds housed herein. Although herpetology is another fascination of my beloved, she keeps that particular collection elsewhere."

We continued on in silence, which allowed me to listen to the natural sounds around me. Until now, I hadn't really noticed the soothing chatter of the birds or the buzzing of the 'beneficial' incest that circled my head like orbiting moons, or the …. _distant sound of rushing water?_. At first I dismissed the roaring as I assumed it was just another fountain similar the one in the Commons, but as we continued the sound grew louder and louder and the air became cooler and scented with moisture like a spring evening after a rain.

"We're almost there," he informed me over the increasing din.

True to his word, within a few minutes the path broadened out to an artificial clearing. When he stepped aside, affording me a better view, I found myself standing before a massive cliff face that intruded into the glass and iron structure; the walls had been built so as to fuse around it making it part of the garden. Near the top of the wall of jagged rock, water poured from a rather large egg shaped opening forming a dazzling waterfall.

The glistening ribbon of water that issued from the rocks cascaded into a pool at the base of the cliff. The water in the pool was crystal clear and the rocky bottom was easily visible … at least in the shallows anyway. Near the center, the bottom dropped away abruptly and the water turned ominously black; for all I knew the abyss went on forever. In the shallows, on the right side of the pool I noticed an almost perfectly round hole; it was as big around as one of those halved wine barrels my grandmother often bought at Home Depot to plant her flowers in. Here too the water turned black indicating unfathomable depth.

"What's that," I asked as I pointed to the curious opening.

"A mermaid's gate," he answered, "it leads to an underground river that flows into a grotto on the sea coast. Sulpicia and I have swam its entire length … we use it as a secret 'back door' when we wish to … as you humans say … get away from it all."

'Its all so beautiful," I sighed as my eyes once more scanned the lush surroundings, "I wish I had my sketch book."

"Oh that's right, you like to draw," Aro replied in a contemplative tone. "I will speak to Sulpicia and see if I can arrange regular access to the Garden for you. I'm sure she will be most interested in seeing the sketches you render of her specimens."

I nodded my thanks, being able to sketch in here would be a welcome thing. Here in the Garden I wouldn't have to worry about creeps like Frank sneaking up on me while I was lost in my work … and I hoped I wouldn't have to worry about running into Caius either.

"Come and sit with me," he insisted as he took me elbow again. He led me towards a black iron park bench that I hadn't noticed before. Once we were settled, I heard his sigh softly. "Il mio fiore," he began gently, "Carlisle tells me that the reason for the panic attack that put you in the infirmary is your fear of Caius … is this correct my precious?"

I felt the scowl spread across my face and I dropped my gaze to hide it; how dare he, I trusted Carlisle and he betrayed me.

"That is not true," Aro intoned sharply. Only then did I notice that he still held my elbow. "For the most part, Carlisle tells me nothing … citing that irritating notation of Doctor/Patient Privilege in his defense, just as he did at the table this morning. However, when he feels there are things which I must know, things that directly affect the health and wellbeing of those in my care, he will begrudgingly tell me about it … and then he will commence to loathing himself later for having done so even when the necessity of the confession was utterly unavoidable."

He took his hand away then and I silently cursed myself for ever having entertained the thought of Carlisle tattling on me. Since the day of my arrival the golden eyed doctor had been nothing but kind to me; I had no reason what so ever to mistrust him.

"Why do you persist in your fear of Caius, my little one," he purred soothingly, "have I not assured you that his wrath is directed at me and not at you?"

"He wants to kill me," I blurted; why I felt inclined to share this with him so openly baffled me.

"Now, little one," his voice was suddenly in the same strange octave Carlisle had used to hypnotize me.

"No you don't," I shouted as I stood up. "You're not going to use that voice trick on me, I know all about it."

"So you do … you're quite perceptive for a human, Lillian. Would you please sit back down now," he patted the bench beside him as a means to reinforce his request. As I took my seat again he continued, "Most humans never notice that aspect of our natural allure ~ only about 5% ever catch on to it, you are indeed a rarity."

When I was comfortable again he continued his interrogation. "Please tell me what has you convinced that Caius wishes to kill you?"

I took a deep breath; there wasn't any escaping this conversation so I resigned myself to having it. "In court … the way he had me fixed with his eyes, never taking them off me … I could feel his intentions. Caius wants me dead, and he isn't going to be satisfied until he gets his way."

Aro's expression suddenly became grave and when he spoke again his voice boiled with concern. "When you say that you could feel his intentions … what exactly do you mean; what did you feel my precious?"

The pit of my stomach began to churn as I remembered the way I felt under the weight of Caius' searing gaze; the remembrance made me shudder. "Anger and hate radiated from him like waves of heat ~ it was like standing in front of a giant blow torch of anger. As Marcus questioned me, the anger changed to an emotion I can really describe very well, but the gist of the feeling was that he wanted me dead, and if he could have choked the life out of me then and there … he would have." Then I added, almost desperately, "I'm not crazy."

"Of course you're not, I never even considered such a thing," he soothed before questioning me further, "Is this ability to so acutely sense the emotions and intentions of others a new phenomenon or have you always had this gift?"

I swallowed hard as I shook my head, "No, it's always been there," Unfortunately. "It's part of the reason I ran away from home. When Mom remarried after my Dad died, my new step-father, he … well, I just felt … every time he looked at me, it was like he was starving and I was a nice juicy stake. I couldn't figure out why I felt that way, but it made me uncomfortable. Then one afternoon I came home from school … my Mom wasn't home, but he was and … he tried to touch me and he said it was ok for us because I wasn't really his daughter. I ran away that night."

"I am sorry, il mio fiore," he whispered softly. I felt his genuine regret about what happened to me … but I also felt two other emotions; pride centered around what he considered my "gift" and something else … something dark and dangerous … something murderous. "What is your step-father's name," he asked in a tone that sent a shiver up my spine.

"You're going to kill him … please don't hurt my Mom," I blurted before I could catch myself.

"You're gift is quite strong," he sighed as he wrapped his arm around my shoulders. "Let your heart be at ease my precious, you need not fear for your Mother's safety."

The cloud of swirling doom that engulfed me just moments earlier retreated back towards Aro and I relaxed. But no sooner than I breathed a sigh of relief, I felt another turbulent mix of emotions from my owner … he was about to drastically turn the topic of or conversation and he was very nervous about what he was about to say.

"Little one," he began quietly, "it troubles me greatly that you should live in fear of my brother … or anyone else for that matter. I wish your life here to be a happy one, free from such unpleasant things."

It was true, he did wish me to be happy and when I glanced up into his eyes affection danced in the bright crimson orbs. I sensed his caring and concern for me on other occasions, but this was something more … this was love. Aro, the vampire who owned me like a head of cattle … Aro, the creature who tasted a drop of my blood the day I arrived here and then declared me his own to be shared by no one else … Aro, who had me confined to my quarters for two weeks in a show of his absolute authority because I was "behaving like a spoiled child" … that same Aro loved me. Suddenly I felt myself blushing and I found it difficult to breath.

"I'm going to have to learn to control my emotions when I'm around you," he muttered as he observed my reaction, "You pick up on them far too easily."

As he spoke, I noticed that his arm was still around me, his hand rested lightly on my shoulder; he had seen my thought. I blushed even deeper, and in response to my embarrassment Aro chuckled.

"I have, indeed, come to love you Lillian," he sighed, "something which has not happened to me before. I feel for you in the same way Carlisle feels for his children and I find myself thinking of you as a daughter … it is quite unusual.

"That is why, in light of recent the events and your near paralyzing fear of Caius …" He paused for a moment to look at me earnestly, I guess he was trying to determine if I "felt" what he was about to say; try as I might, even staring into his eyes, I couldn't feel anything coming off of him. A smile turned up his lips, and he continued, "… that is why I wish you to come and live in my privet apartments with Sulpicia and I."


	20. Chapter 20

**NOTE: I do not own or have rights to Twilight or it's characters!**

Chapter 20

Lillian

Though I enjoyed my time with Carlisle and Esme (this in spite of a two night hospital stay), I could honestly say it was great to be home. As I rolled over lazily in bed so that I could watch the "sun rise" in the holographic window, I sighed contentedly … I had my freedom once more. But my languid content soon turned to anxious indecision.

" … _I wish you to come and live in my privet apartments with Sulpicia and I._" Aro's stunning request still plagued my thoughts.

He was sincere in both his offer and the intentions behind it; I'd felt it when I looked into his eyes. But I balked at accepting, and requested time to consider such a life altering decision. I reality I was scared; firstly of the new sense of connectedness I was feeling towards Aro … it was getting harder to think of him as 'old farmer McAro' my owner, and therefore to hate him for being a deplorable monster. He was starting to become more and more like Carlisle and Esme to me; a real _'human being'_ with faults, weaknesses, and insecurities as well as the capacity for deep love and genuine affection. I sighed as I through back the covers and sat up on the edge of the bed; it was much easier and less confusing when raged against him and blamed him for my imprisonment. Now the lines that had once so easily defined captor and captive, owner and chattel, predator and prey, were horribly blurred. This was a reality that I found very confusing.

The second reason I balked at the idea of "moving in" was that I feared losing the thin measure of control that living in my own apartment afforded me. Here I was free to come and go … to do whatever I pleased, whenever I pleased. Even thought I knew my so-called freedom was really a fraud, the illusion of it was satisfying … if I kept telling myself it was real, I could somehow make the lie become true. My overly active and morbid imagination easily constructed a whole host of new rules imposed on me if I became a fixture in Aro's household.

After all I'd been down the road of losing my rights and freedoms to strangers before; I knew firsthand what it was like to have a normal happy life one minuet, and then be under the thumb of a dictator the next. As I stepped into the shower and turned on the invigorating spray, my thoughts wandered back to the day Grant, my step-father, tumbled into my life. In a way, he was part of the reason I was trapped in my current nightmare in the first place. The evening he and my mother quietly broke the news to me that they were getting married, I was shocked … when Grant insisted that I call him Dad, a term eternally reserved in my mind for my sainted father, I was horrified. Unfortunately, the undeserved title was only the tip of the iceberg with him, more demands … more ironclad rules were forthcoming … volumes of them. I felt like an inmate in my own home and my Mom, who had been a beacon of courage and my lifeline after Papa died, suddenly became Grant's mindless stooge. Whatever Grant said was the unquestionable truth and, inevitably, I seemed to constantly run afoul of that truth.

I turned off the water, took up the thick bath towel, and began drying off. The day Grant cornered me in the laundry room; I knew that my life as I had always known it was over. He grabbed me roughly, shoved me into the corner between the wall and the washing machine and then forced his mouth onto mine … my "first kiss" was a moment of defilement and humiliation as his greedy tongue raped my mouth over and over again. He laughed afterwards as he watched me vomit.

" … and don't go troubling your mother about this," I remembered him insisting casually while he watched me clean the vomit off the floor, "there's really no need to. There's nothing wrong with what just happened … it isn't like incest or anything, so get that thought out of your pretty little head. I work hard to support you Lillian, so you'd better get used to showing me your appreciation. The kiss was just the first installment," his hand came to rest gently on the top of my head and he began to stork my hair fondly, "I'll be expecting more out of you … much more, but we'll work our way up to that."

I shuddered at the memory; it was one year and a number of _installments_ later before I finally reached my breaking point and plucked up the nerve to run away from home. Did I think Aro and Sulpicia would treatment like Grant had if I moved into their apartments … did I fear they would abuse me or that he would take undue physical advantage of me … my instincts told me no. I simply wasn't ready for that level of connectedness yet.

As I dressed for the day, I thought about my Grandma Brandon; her warm face danced in my imagination and made a bittersweet smile curled my lips. If I closed my eyes and concentrated, I could still her mellow voice … singing … she was always singing ….

_ I was a little bird, with a broken wing_

_In too much pain to fly, and much too sad to sing _

_I laid there in the dust, waiting for the end_

_You saw me lying there and kindly took me in_

_ You gently pick me up, and bound my broken wing_

_You showered me with love, and taught my heart to sing_

_Now I can fly again, to the heavens I can soar_

_I owe my life to you, Lord, for now and evermore_

A tear trickled down my cheek as I remember Grandma's song. In spite of her eighty seven years of age (or perhaps because of it), she was a woman of uncommon strength and great faith. I considered going to her right after I ran away; part of me wanted nothing better than to lose myself in Grandma's welcoming arms and tell her about all the unspeakable things Grant did to me. But I was ashamed … and the shameful fearful part of me didn't wish to darken her doorstep with my troubles. Besides, it would be among the first places Grant would go looking for me, and he would hurt her if she tried to defend me.

By the time I left my bedroom and stumbled into my apartment's small kitchen I had my composure again; the specter of Grant was safely locked away behind a heavy door deep within me and Grandma Brandon was a warm haziness lingering somewhere in the back of my mind. I opened the cupboard over the sink and fetched down a bowl … from another cupboard I retrieved a box of breakfast cereal. It was only when I opened the fridge that I realized my plan for a quiet breakfast was ruined; the milk was spoiled.

"Great …" I groaned as I shook my head. Now that I thought about it, the milk had tasted a bit off the last time I had some; now it was sour and beginning to clabber. I sighed as my eyes wandered towards the door; I could go out to the Commons for breakfast. "Haven't you learned your lesson?" I scolded myself. After all, that's how I ended up spending two days in the infirmary.

"Right, no cereal and milk … let's try coffee and toast," I muttered. There was a shiny new coffee machine on my kitchen counter that, until this point, I never used … even when I was on lock down three squares a day, including my morning cup of Joe, were delivered to my door. From the same cupboard I got cereal, I found coffee; I put half a pot on to make and set out looking for bread, butter, and jelly. Again, my simple morning plan was thwarted. There was no jelly; I remembered now that the last time I wanted jelly, for my PB&J, I had come up empty handed. No worries, there was butter in the fridge … and to my surprise, cream cheese. Unfortunately a trip to the bread box made me moan in disgust; the night I made my jelly-less PB&J, the bread had been somewhat stale … now it was covered in green mold.

"Outstanding," I muttered, "and the "Parent of the Year Award" goes to … Aro the vampire … who can't keep fresh milk, fresh bread, or jelly in his daughter's crappy little kitchen."

My hand suddenly flew to my mouth as I realized what just tumbled from my lips. It wasn't the sarcasm that made me react; it was the shocking appearance of two tiny words standing next to each other within the context of the sentence … _his daughter_. Was I really starting to think of myself as his child … was I really starting to think of Aro as a father?

"I really need breakfast," I sighed as I turned off the coffee pot, "some sugar will do my brain a world of good, cause right now … I think I'm going bonkers."

My eyes fell upon the front door of my apartment once again; like it or not, if I wanted breakfast, I was going to have to go out. "What evil lurks beyond The Black Gate, in the pulsing heart of Morhdorh," I whispered as I moved slowly towards the door. As my fingers brushed the cold metal door knob Caius' face materialized in my mind and his wicked laugh echoed in my ears. I swallowed hard before opening the door and stepping out into the hall.

0o0o0o0

My panic was in full force by the time I reached the Bernini, but it wasn't as bad as the last time I was out; at least this time I wasn't on the brink of passing out anyway. I couldn't afford for that to happen … I wasn't expected by Dr. Cullen and his wife at this hour, so, if I fell unconscious from fright, no one would know to come looking for me. It was a sobering thought that I used like a Great Sword to battle back my fear.

In spite of my efforts to contain my fear, panic still made it difficult to breathe and I had to stop and catch my breath every so often. I leaned against the wall near the little sculptor that I admired so much and gazed up at it, focusing my eyes and my mind on the infinitely intricate details of the figures. I let my eyes wander at will over the curly coat of the lamb that looked almost soft enough to touch, the smooth roundness of the cherub's bodies that mimicked human flesh so convincingly, and the serenity of the angelic little faces caught in a moment of joyful play. What an absolute masterpiece, I thought as I continued to admire the work of art, if only Bernini had known … my thought was suddenly interrupted when the cherub nearest to me turned its head ever so slightly and winked at me.

"Holy shit," I blurted as my already pounding heart shifted into a new gear.

I pushed myself off the wall sending my body half running and half stumbling down the corridor. I rounded the next corner without thinking or stopping to take a peek first. As I carelessly dashed around the corner in my effort to escape the flirtatious stone cherub, I slammed into something and quickly found myself sprawled like a ragdoll on the marble floor. When I looked up, my panicked mind expected Caius or one of his demon eyed minions … instead I saw a young man … a human man.

"You should watch where you're going," he insisted as he rubbed the center of his chest … the place where I must have made impact.

He was tall, six foot at least, with grey-blue eyes and tawny hair. His expression was one slight annoyance, but he didn't seem too bent out of shape that I had slammed into him like a speeding Mac truck. In the next moment he was offering me his hand; I just sat there dumbly gawking at him as I tried to figure out his angel … was he another pervert like Frank?

"Hey, I don't bite you know," he said with a grin, "and even if I did, Doc makes sure we all get our shots, so you won't get cooties or anything."

I still sat there staring; he knew Carlisle, did that mean I could trust him?

"Ok … Let try this again," his voice lilted a little as he changed tactics. "My name is Mathew … what's your name?"

"Uhm … uhm …" fear, indecision, and exhaustion made communication between my brain and my mouth next to impossible.

"Your name is Uhm; that's interesting … I don't think I've ever meet a girl named Uhm before." His tone was light and jovial as he mocked me, but I didn't sense any intention to be cruel; he was attempting to be witty and put me at ease. "Is that Spanish, French, or is it perhaps from some Slavic origin?"

"My … my name … is Lillian," I finally managed.

"Wow, that's a relief," he offered me his hand again, "because calling you Uhm all the time could get really awkward," then he paused and added, "It's a pleasure to meet you Lillian. Would you please allow me to help you get up off the floor?"

I shifted my gaze to his outstretched hand and stared at it for several more minutes before finally placing my own trembling hand in his. Effortlessly he hauled me to my feet. Once I was upright again Mathew continued to appraise me.

"You seem a little … out of sorts;" he observed lightly, "care to tell me about it?"

**Caius**; the name sprung to my mind and I began looking around nervously.

"Hey," Mathew soothed as he touched my arm gently, "whatever's got you spooked is gone now … you can relax; it's Ok."

I turned back to him, searching his grey eyes for any hints of his intentions; I was looking for the hunger I saw in Frank or the hatred I saw in Caius, instead I saw only kindness and concern.

"Maybe I should take you to see Doc," he insisted as he tugged gently on my arm.

"You know Carlisle," I asked as I resisted his pull.

"Sure, but obviously not as well as you do," he chuckled and then added, "We aren't on a first name bases."

I blushed, which drew another chuckle from Mathew. "Before I got snatched and spirited off to this place, I was an EMT in Detroit. A few weeks after I arrived, Dr. Cullen offered me a job in the infirmary … kind of like being his Physician's Assistant. At the time, I turned him down flat; I didn't feel like I could trust him, ya' know … him being one of the Vamps and all."

"Do you trust him now?" I was beginning to recover from my panic; signaled by the fact that my curiosity was kicking in.

"Sure, Doc's cool … for a Vamp." The grin was back making Mathew's face almost glow. Before I could come up with something else to say, my stomach growled loudly; I could have sworn it actually echoed in the massive hallway.

"Oh ho, it sounds like someone missed breakfast," Mathew commented … I blushed, again. "Well, if you're interested, I happen to know this little place in the Commons that serves an outstanding ham and cheese bagel … and the coffee isn't too bad either." Then he offered me his elbow and his glowing grin broadened, "care to join me … my treat?"

The fearful distrusting part of me; the part of me that had been wounded by Grant and terrified by Caius and Frank, that part of me wanted to shout NO and then bolt for my room. But there was another part of me; the part that still heard my Grandma's melodious singing, the part that trusted and adored Carlisle and Esme, the part that now thought of Aro as a father … that part of me longed to take Mathew's arm and stroll away to breakfast. For a long moment, as my eyes remained fixed on Mathew's elbow, I was caught in a tug-of-war between these two powerful forces.

_I was a little bird, with a broken wing_

_In too much pain to fly, and much too sad to sing …_

The first two line of Grandma's song filled my mind again; I was surly broken, but was it really that bad … was I really lying there in the dirt waiting to die like the bird in Grandma's song? My eyes shifted from Mathew's elbow to his eyes; they were warm and welcoming with not even the slightest hint of any malice in their depths. "Trust is a decision, Lilly," I remembered Grandma Brandon telling me once when I was little; those words echoed softly in my mind now as my hand began to move towards Mathew's elbow. My gaze never left his as I finally took hold of his arm.

Moments later we were walking towards the Commons; my panic at being out of my apartment and the fear of being ambushed and devoured by Caius, completely eclipsed by the confidence of being in Mathew's presence.

0o0o0o0

**AN: No, I'm not giving you any more than that right now … I should, as punishment for my extended absence, but I'm not. Mostly because, if I don't finish my homework for tomorrow, it's going to get UGLY.**

**Later,**

**Blue**


	21. Chapter 21

**Note: I do not own or have rights to Twilight or its Characters!**

Chapter 21

Lillian

Mathew and I walked together through the morning crowd that buzzed in the Commons. For whatever reason, he felt the need to point out places of interest; some of them, like The Golden Bhuda, Fitzgerald's Coffeehouse, and Sound Design music store I was already familiar, others I had yet to visit. We ended up on the south west end of the Commons on a broad pedestrian avenue that dead ended at the gates to an Amusement Park; it would seem that the Colony had its very own version of Six Flags. The little bistro he led me into was called simply _Calvin's_. After settling me at a table where we could "people watch" the passing crowd he darted off to place our order. When he returned fifteen minutes later, he had two steaming mugs of coffee and two baskets, each containing the most delicious looking ham and cheese bagels I'd ever seen.

"Prepare yourself, these are works of art," he informed me as he placed my mug and basket before me. "I kid you not; the first time I ate one, it was like a religious experience."

I couldn't help but laugh

"Amazing; she laughs," he teased as his grin spread once more from ear to ear. "I was beginning to wonder about that. Actually … I was very much afraid."

"Afraid of what," I asked as I took a sip from the steaming mug.

"Well, you seemed so _… distressed_ … when you, uhm, ran into me," he paused to sip from his own mug before continuing, "and you continued to be _distressed_, for a healthy chunk of time thereafter. So … I was kind of afraid that this place might have made you … you know, _come unhinged_, or something. I've seen it happen a time or two since I've been here."

"And just how long have you been here," he looked very young to me.

"Going on four years now," he smiled at me then, and I knew what question was coming next, "And you?"

I dropped my gaze to the plate and sandwich on the table before me, "Not long … a couple of months maybe."

"That figures, I haven't seen you around." He replied before taking a healthy bit of his bagel.

"There are like, a gazillion people here," I insisted as I gestured towards the milling crowed, "Just because you haven't seen me before doesn't automatically qualify me for Newbie status. Maybe you just didn't notice me."

"Trust me Lillian" his tone dropped and he sounded deadly serious, "if I'd seen you before … I wouldn't have missed noticing you … nor would I have forgotten you."

His comment creped me out a little, so in an effort to shake it off, I picked up my sandwich and took a bite. When the complex smoky, cheesy, buttery flavor hit my tongue I moaned involuntarily.

"AAHHH … what did I tell you," he gloated, "it's enough to make you want to weep."

Unfortunately, he was right. For a time we were both content to enjoy our meals in silence, but that didn't last for long.

"So, are you going to tell me?" he asked after wiping his mouth with a napkin.

"Tell you what," I had an inkling about what he meant, but I was evading the question.

"Nice try, but no dice … that was an epic fail" he smiled warily as he wagged his finger at me, then he asked again, " are you going to tell me about the … whatever it was … that had you spooked like a school girl lost in a cemetery on Halloween night."

I kept silent for a few more minutes as I thought of a response, for some reason I didn't really want to mention my fear of Caius to him. "Hobgoblins," I finally replied in the most serious tone I could muster.

For a second he just looked at me and blinked; then he burst out laughing … he howled like it was the funniest thing he'd ever heard.

"Hey, what's the joke Mat-man?" a male voice asked. I nearly jumped out my skin as I turned to see who was speaking.

A couple was approaching our table; the young man was lean with shoulder length dirty blond hair and a scruffy beard, he kind of reminded me of Shaggy from Scooby-doo. The woman was of medium height, but still taller than me, with long raven hair, copper skin, and beautiful high set cheekbones; she could pass for Pocahontas.

"Hey Spider," Mathew greeted the young man when he finally stopped laughing. "It seems that the Colony is under siege by Hobgoblins."

"Oh great, just what we need … more freaks to join the sideshow," Spider grumped. "Why not just invite ever Troll, Demon, and Hellhound to the party … sheeesh, the class of monsters you run into around here these days has really gone to the crapper."

"Yea," the dark haired girl took up, "This used to be such an exclusive little corner of hell, now the Three Brothers Grim will let almost anything in here."

Mathew was laughing like an idiot again and I was confused.

"Forgive me," Mathew apologized when he could speak again. "Lillian, this is Spider and his girlfriend Zoe; they're two of my best friends, and they're good folks," he added soberly, "you can trust them … Ok?"

Instead of nodding and keeping my mouth shut, in typical Lillian fashion, I decided to stick my foot right on in. "Is Spider your real name?" the question fell from my lips before I could catch it.

I expected anger or at the very least mild annoyance, but instead Spider just chuckled. "Where did you get her," he asked Mathew, "She's funny."

"She kind of … ran into me … literally," he replied. My face turned beet red as I thought about how I'd slammed full on into Mat in the hall; this elicited another chuckle from him.

"No," Spider answered my question finally, "my real name is Archibald … never, ever, ever, call me by my name … or _Archie_; God, I hate that name! It's Spider or just Hey You … understand?" I chose to nod this time.

Spider and Zoe excused themselves to go inside Calvin's and grab something to eat; when they returned they pulled another small table over to ours and settled in.

"So, Lillian," Zoe began, "what's your story?"

"No, no, no," Mathew purred softly. "She can answer that one a little later … after she finishes telling us about whatever the hell it was that had the shit scared out of her earlier."

"I told you already; Hobgoblins," I answered indignantly.

"Yeah, right," Mat sneered, "and I'm really Elvis … Try again munchkin."

For that remark, I punched his arm … not very hard of course, "No short jokes," I chided, "we prefer to be referred to as _the vertically challenged_ … not munchkins."

"Funny and feisty," Spider observed, "nice, I'm liking her better and better by the minuet."

"You can trust us Lillian," Zoe insisted and I felt her take my hand in hers, "we won't laugh …"

"Much," Spider interrupted. This earned him a kick under the table from his girlfriend. "Ouch," he complained but otherwise remained quiet.

"As I was saying; we won't laugh, or judge you," Zoe took up again, "we want to help."

"But we can't do that," it was Spider who spoke this time, in an uncharacteristically serious tone, "If you won't let us into your world."

I sighed as my gaze traveled from Mathew to Spider to Zoe; what did I really have to lose by telling them? After a couple of deep cleansing breaths, I related my tale. I began with my arrival and subsequent lock down period that resulted from my temperamental behavior. Spider was both amused and impressed with my hurling of small desk furnishings at Aro; he wanted to give me a suitable new nickname in honor of it, but couldn't quite decide between Xena and Eowyn. I went on to tell them how Aro eventually lifted my punishment after my first collection as well as how I spent my first day in the Commons. Then my tale turned dark as I told them about Frank and his friends.

"So it's Frank that's got you spooked," Mathew interrupted thoughtfully. "I'm not surprised, he's a real piece of work that one. You're not the first woman he's taken advantage of, but I'm glad he's finally been caught."

"Amen," Zoe seconded the notion.

"I'm scared of Frank, that's true enough, but," I paused as I fumbled with how to go on. "He isn't the source of my biggest fear … that … that would be Caius."

"Crap, man," Spider muttered, "who isn't petrified of the Ghostly Grim … one look from him can turn any man's blood into ice water."

"The Ghostly Grim?" that was a name I'd never heard before.

"Ghostly Grim, Gangster Grim, and Gloomy Grim; collectively they are the Three Brothers Grim … that's as in Grim as in _Grim Reaper_ by the way, not the medieval story telling Brothers Grim." Spider announced in a tone reminiscent of my high school history teacher. I guessed Gloomy Grim must be Marcus; that was pretty obvious. Gangster Grim was likely Aro; he did look like the Godfather.

"Why do you call Caius, Ghostly Grim?" I couldn't make the connection.

"White skin, Platinum blond hair, glowing devil red eyes," a shiver made Zoe's body quake as she spoke, "He's practical the poster child for specters and spooks … all he needs to complete the look is a set of chains like Jacob Marley's ghost."

"How come you're running scared of Caius," Mathew asked in an effort to refocus the conversation.

I took a swallow for my mug of now cold coffee to steal my nerves before answering. "After the incident with Frank, I was brought before the court … for their version of an informal interview. They wanted to hear my side of things I guess; anyway … throughout the questioning, Caius kept glaring holes in me. His expression shouted, in no uncertain terms, that he would LOVE the opportunity to slowly kill me. Since then I've been having nightmares about him doing just that; I imagine him sneaking up behind me and snatching me, or worse, running into him when I'm out of my apartment.

"The fear is so strong that I really don't want to leave my apartment … and when I do, I have panic attacks. The last time it happened, Carlisle found me sprawled on the floor in the corridor leading to the Commons, and I spent a few days in the infirmary. I'm on meds now, but he said they would take time to reach 'Maximum effectiveness' in my system."

"You don't seem too scared right now," Spider pointed out casually.

"Yeah, I know," I scratched my head as I answered, "When I'm with someone, the fear isn't so bad. Not that it would matter a whole lot; if Caius showed up with you guys around, he'd have me and you couldn't really stop him. But I guess it's a mental thing. It would be another ball game all together if he messed with me when my owner was around."

"Damn, you're Private Stock, Lillian," Mathew asked seeming a bit surprised. "When were you planning on telling us that … or were you planning on it?"

"Sorry, I didn't think it was important," I replied shyly. I hoped that my oversight didn't make me lose my three new friends.

"Who do you belong to," Spider asked curtly.

Before I could answer, Zoe pulled up the right sleeve of my blouse. "Freakn' shit!" she exclaimed as she saw my brand. "She belongs to Gangster Grim."

All three of them fell silent as they looked first at each other and then firmly fixed their collective gaze on me. An explanation was clearly in order, but what could I say.

"Aro is my owner," I admitted in a low voice. "At first I felt like I was his cow or something and I hated him … I wanted to find the nearest door and run like hell. I guess I'm getting used to it now; Carlisle said the sooner I accept my new situation, the happier I would be … I'm trying to take his advice."

They continued to stair wordlessly at me, judging me for my crime. I could completely understand why they wouldn't want to hang around with one of Aro's 'pets', what if I were a spy or something … I deserved it if they never wanted to speak to me again.

"Part of the ship, part of the crew …" Spider slowly began to chant a line that I recognized from one of the _Pirates of the Caribbean _ all three of them were chanting it.

When they fell silent, Mathew spoke, "Lillian … we've decided to adopt you into our motley little group, and that means we forgive you for not telling us that you're Aro's privet stock. But to be a part of our group means trusting us … just like we have to trust you." Then he held out his hand to me, "do you think you can do that?"

I looked at his hand; stretched out towards me and waiting for my acceptance. Slowly I reached for his hand, until I felt my fingers and palm grip his. "I haven't had friends in a long time … since I ran away from home a few years ago," I admitted. It was hard hearing those words tumbling from my lips; before Grant I had lots of really good friends both in and out of school. "I might not be very good at this … please don't hate me if I mess up?"

Zoe caught my chin lightly and turned my face so that our eyes met; my brown ones locking with her hazel. She held my gaze, reading me like a gypsy fortune teller from one of those creepy traveling carnivals. "You've been hurt … really badly," she finally commented, but her eyes continued to hold me, "You'll have to tell us about it sometime." She let go of my chin and released me from her stair. "Listen Lillian, we all have a past here … and we all make mistakes. If you mess up … then you mess up, it's no biggie. You say you're sorry … and mean it … then you move on and try not to make the same mistake again. It's really just that simple."

"Thanks Zoe," she smiled at me, but said nothing.

"So, have you been to the Amusement Park yet," Spider asked. When I glanced over at him, he had a goofy grin plaster on his lips.

"No," I answered shyly, his expression had me a little nervous. In unison my three new friends shook their collective heads.

"An oversight that must be rectified," Mathew announced. "A day in the Amusement Park with Lillian it is then."

"I hope you like coasters," Spider added, "cause I plan to take you on _'Bloody Murder'_ … it will blow your mind."

Actually I hated roller coasters, but I didn't want to tell my new friends that; instead I just sighed and went back to eating my breakfast.

**0o0o0o**

**So now Lilly has some new friends to hang with. I wonder how this dynamic is going to play out; will Aro approve of them or will he be jealous. What will THEY think of Lillian's attachment to Carlisle and Esme or her growing feelings of connectedness for Gangster Grim ... Hmmm ... we'll have to see.**


End file.
